Gerard Rice, prominent leading member of the "Lower Ormeau Combined Residents Association" was convicted of arms offences and IRA membership. He was jailed for membership of the IRA and arms offences in the late 1980s.

The LOCC has co-ordinated resistance and intolerance of a variety of annual parades involving the Orange Order, Apprentice Boys and Black Institution.

Gerard Rice, took over the mantle as leading light in the Residents Association after a former spokeswoman stood down.(The IRA Sinn Fein instructed her to stand down or it could have dire consequences on her bodily functions)

The faces of the Ormeau Road Resident Group Click here to see more pictures from the Ormeua Road in Belfast

Gerard Rice, Spokesperson for the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community who opposes Orange parades on the Ormeau Road, Belfast. Served four years imprisonment for membership of the I.R.A. and possession of arms (Sunday Life, 14th May, 1995).

In the Belfast Telegraph 27th March, 1997, Mr. Rice said

"The L.O.C.C. would like to see an exhibition which presents the Orange Order's view of itself."

On 28th March 1998, Mr. Rice was among a republican crowd protesting outside an Orange Order cultural exhibition at Belfast's Waterfront Hall. The protest degenerated into serious verbal and physical assaults on people attending the exhibition. (parity of esteem?, click here)

On the left is Gerard Rice confronting the RUC.Gerard Rice, the Ormeau Resident leader faced charges in connection with disturbances during an Apprentice Boys march. Along with two other members of the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community and several others, Mr Rice appeared before a Belfast magistrates. They are among several people arrested in raids across Belfast. Police said 19 RUC officers were among the injured as they tried to remove the sit-down protesters from the road ahead of the Apprentice Boys “feeder” parade before the afternoon’s major event in Londonderry. Sean Hayes, a Sinn Fein councillor in south Belfast was also present for the early morning parade.

Afer the court proceedings, Gerard Rice and his co-horts were fined.(2000)

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