Jamie Bryson charged with organised unlawful parades

ULSTER People’s Forum spokesman Jamie Bryson has faced a court charged over Union flag protests.

The 23-year-old faces six offences as he appeared in the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court.

He was accused of two counts of encouraging or assisting offences and four counts of taking part in an unnotified public procession.

During a court hearing, Bryson was remanded into custody to reappear via videolink later this month.

District Judge Bernadatte Kelly told Bryson, of Rosepark, Donaghadee, Co Down, that she shared police concerns that if released he would pose a “flight risk”.

This was after she was told how he refused to hand himself over to officers knowing they were looking for him.

Instead, Bryson posted a video on YouTube on Wednesday, accusing the PSNI of “political policing”. He finished the video saying: “No Surrender!”

However, Bryson was arrested on Thursday in Bangor by officers from Operation Dulcet, the PSNI taskforce set up to investigate the disorder surrounding the Union flag protests.

Meanwhile, former British National Party (BNP) fundraiser, Jim Dowson, also appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court.

Jim Dowson appears in court on Saturday and bailed

The Scottish-born 48-year-old, from Burn Road in Comber, Co Down is charged with one count of encouraging or assisting offences and five counts of taking part in an unnotified procession.

He was released on bail on condition he surrender all communication devices, including SIM cards and USB fobs.

Judge Kelly said Dowson was not to use a telephone except in an emergency situation, added that if anyone communicated on his behalf, Dowson would be remanded into jail.

He has also been banned from entering Belfast or attending any procession.