DERRY City and Strabane District council has been rocked by a row after it decided to vote against council leaders attending a charity event to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.
It follows an invitation from ABF, the soldiers charity, to a concert in Belfast in May.
The proposal was rejected at a Derry City and Strabane District Council meeting on Tuesday.
DUP councillor David Ramsay said the decision “will anger the protestant community”.
However, dissident republican leader and independent councillor Gary Donnelly disagreed.
“I believe this invitation was a slap in the face to tens of thousands of people in this city,” said Mr Donnelly.
“The army is responsible for horrendous atrocities across this city.
“People have a right to commemorate the Somme but this is an attempt by the British Army to marry what happened at the Somme to present day activities. ”
Cllr Ramsey said: “We are left now with no one attending from council, which is an issue.
“We also talked about a beacon for the Queen’s birthday and councillor Donnelly asked in the meeting if the Queen would be put on top of it.
“We were invited to a cross community event to commemorate the Somme.
“We are supposed to be celebrating and commemorating without this sectarianism, bigotry and hatred.”
