No windows and steel doors - life at NI's 'most-attacked Orange hall'

Published2 November 2026, 00:02 GMT

Orangemen whose hall has been targeted dozens of times in sectarian attacks say the fear and intimidation has damaged their community and left them unable to properly celebrate their heritage and culture.

Rasharkin Chosen Few Orange lodge believes its hall is "the most-attacked Orange hall in Northern Ireland" and says there have been 51 incidents in 30 years.

Police recorded 17 hate crimes in the past year against Orange and Apprentice Boys' halls across Northern Ireland - an increase on the previous two years and the second highest in five years.

Rasharkin Orangemen say they have lost confidence in police, particularly after CCTV showed a patrol car driving over freshly-painted graffiti.

Leigh Gerrow, a member of the lodge, said attacks ranged from graffiti to attempts to set fire to the hall and meant the building now had steel doors and no windows, with members unable to park their cars outside in case they were attacked.

"Sometimes you need to take a step back and realise that's not a normal way to be living," he said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it had a "robust and comprehensive policing plan in place" to prevent further attacks in Rasharkin and it condemned sectarianism, intimidation and hate crime.

Gerrow said the attacks on the County Antrim lodge were "an attempt to incite, intimidate, threaten and at times provoke a reaction as well".

"It's not just an attack on an Orange hall, it's an attack on what that hall represents and what it stands for and the community that it represents," he said.

"It sends a very clear message from the perpetrators to the members of my community: 'You are not wanted here.'"

Gerrow said members of the lodge wanted people from all sections of society to be allowed to express their culture and traditions in peace.

He added that the lodge was frustrated by the response of the police.

CCTV footage shared with BBC News NI by the lodge showed an incident on 12 July 2025 - the height of the Orange Order's marching season - when masked figures painted "INLA" on the road outside.

At about 01:15 the figures disappear from view - with one seen running away - seconds before a PSNI patrol vehicle drives over the graffiti without stopping.

Moments later vandals threw paint at the hall.

Other CCTV footage from June 2026 showed a masked figure spraying sectarian slogans on the hall.

'Handled really badly'

Gerrow said the footage of both incidents was given to police but they declined to share it publicly.

"Sadly and disappointedly, I'd say the police have handled this really badly," he said.

The PSNI said officers were on patrol in the Rasharkin area about 10 minutes before "the reported criminal damage" to the hall on 12 July 2025.

A spokesperson said officers responded from Kilrea as soon as a report was received at 01:22, about seven minutes after the timestamp on the CCTV footage showed the patrol vehicle driving past the hall.

They said no-one was present when patrols were in the area.

The spokesperson added that CCTV of both the July 2025 and June 2026 incidents was examined by officers and was "unsuitable" for a public appeal.

The lodge's senior officer, worshipful master Rodney Cubitt, said the attacks had an affect on its charity fundraising efforts, which had to be run during the day to avoid the risk of attack.

"We would like to run some events here at night but we feel it's more safe to have them during the day," he said.

Cubitt said the lodge had a long history going back to 1796 and it was important for members to keep a presence in the village.

"It makes us harder to promote and to encourage people to come and join our ranks," he said.

"We feel that the vast majority in this area would have great tolerance for us and respect and we appreciate that.

"It's only a very small minority in this village that has an aggressive approach to our culture."

Democratic Unionist Party MLA Cheryl Brownlee said the rise in attacks on halls was worrying and unacceptable.

"If you cannot have your traditions and your culture respected without being petrol bombed, graffitied, attacked, what sort of society do we have?" she asked.

Brownlee, who is an Orangewoman, said there needed to be community confidence in the police but that at the moment that was "a struggle".

"The PSNI need to be active on the ground," she said.

"When communities are showing confidence in them and reporting [incidents], they need to be able to see the officers there, reacting and and investigating to the fullest extent.

"We need to see that brought through to justice."

Brownlee added she was concerned over rhetoric about the Orange Order.

"Over the past few weeks I've seen images of Orangemen crossed out, I have seen some horrific things in Belfast saying 'shoot your local Orangeman'," she said.

"To see that is absolutely devastating."

PSNI district commander Supt Yvonne McManus said she recognised the serious affect the incidents had on members of the Orange lodge.

She said repeated attacks must not be viewed as an isolated series of incidents.

"As such, we looked at the wider pattern of offences this year in relation to the Orange hall and adopted a different policing approach," McManus said.

She said the impact of attacks on halls went beyond individuals and that sectarian incidents could generate fear and damage relationships within a community.

"Often, this is due to the senseless actions of what is actually a very small minority," McManus said.

"Collaboration, engagement, respect and mutual understanding are therefore vital elements to countering polarising narratives."

Related topics

Hate crime

Rasharkin

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

More on this story

Police treating Orange hall graffiti as sectarian hate crime

• Published14 July

Police treating Orange hall graffiti as sectarian hate crime

Published14 July

Police investigate 'possible link' between Orange Hall and GAA club graffiti

• Published8 June

Police investigate 'possible link' between Orange Hall and GAA club graffiti

Published8 June

Orange Hall paint attack being treated as hate crime

• Published12 July 2025

Orange Hall paint attack being treated as hate crime

Published12 July 2025