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Belfast Telegraph

Orange Order hits out at ‘inaccurate, sensationalist and divisive' media coverage

Releasing a statement on Monday evening, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland (GOLI) criticised the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life, BBC NI and the Irish News. The statement also criticised recent coverage around the cancellation of a cross-community sports event at North Down Cricket Club last week and said this newspaper had 'erroneously reported the cost of policing the 2025 Twelfth'. Responding to the statement from the organisation, a spokesperson for the Belfast Telegraph said: "The Belfast Telegraph reports on issues across Northern Ireland without fear or favour and will continue to do so. 'We are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation and any complaints about our journalism can be made directly to us. "In relation to the Twelfth, we featured extensive coverage, as we do every year, including three separate supplements across the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life. "We have investigated one factual inaccuracy brought to our attention by the Orange Order statement and are happy to correct it as soon as possible.' In their statement, the Orange Order referenced a story published in the Sunday Life at the weekend on the back of a political row around the cancellation of children's sports event organised by North Down Cricket Club in Comber – branding the story 'victimisation'. The organisation also criticised media coverage of the Portrush Sons of Ulster band parade which took place during The Open golf tournament on the north coast, claiming it 'provided another opportunity for sections of the media to demonise the unionist community and our culture'. Criticising BBC NI, the Orange Order said their reporting of the cancellation of the North Down Cricket Club in Comber was 'relentless and unbalanced' and said the broadcaster's coverage of the Twelfth continued to "marginalise Orangeism". Responding in a statement on their website, a BBC NI spokesperson said its coverage of the Twelfth reflected "their scale and significance for those taking part". "We provided extensive, cross-platform coverage of the Orange Order's 12 July events," they added. "Our multiple news reports were informative and impartial.