Cardiff Uni Cricket Club member hangs UVF flag outside Koko Gorilaz

The Cricket Club have been forced to apologise after one of their members hung a UVF flag outside Koko Gorilaz.

The flag was spotted outside the Cathays pub on Thursday next to a St George’s cross that had been sprayed with ICF (Inter City Firm) – Glasgow Rangers’ hooligan football group.

Now an ashamed spokesperson for CUCC has said: “We are shocked and embarrassed by the actions of one of our members.”

Donal Mageean grew up on the outskirts of Belfast and is a postgrad at Cardiff Uni studying International Economic and Political Relations. He said: “I was coming home from class on Thursday and Koko Gorilaz was dubbed in loyalist flags with UVF and ICF written across them.

“Basically, for someone who hasn’t grown up in Northern Ireland, the UVF is a terrorist organisation who were responsible for hundreds of murders of innocent Catholics – including members of my own family.

“It’s deeply upsetting to see them being glorified in this manner.

“I had a meeting with the VP of sports in Cardiff University about the matter and it struck me that he didn’t understand the gravity of the issue.

‘In sauce we trust’

“I mean if it was ISIS on a flag it would be national news. The UVF is no different from ISIS.

“As I see it, they are basically dancing on the graves of my uncles who were murdered by those thugs.”

Jay Shah, owner of Koko Gorilaz, said: “To be honest it’s nothing to do with the cricket club, they are good as gold. We have had a strong relationship with them for five years.

“One thing I know is that whoever has done it, the cricket guys weren’t aware of it. I wasn’t aware of it.

“I’ve got no hard feelings. One guy has ruined it. There are 120 or so members, it’s not nice for the rest them.

“We told him to stay away for a while – told this individual to chill out a bit. Have a chill pill and go from there.

“We allow them to put up one flag – a flag they have been putting up for five years.

“I said guys, what you have done is not nice. There’s no need for that crap. We live in the modern world.

“There’s so much shit going on, for god’s sake. Why do you want to bring it here to Cathays? Go to Hyde Park and shout to the Queen. Do it somewhere else.

“What they have done has absolutely broken our trust. We don’t allow things like that here.”

Other socials held at Koko Gorilaz in the past have featured the use of flares and fire crackers.

A statement from Cardiff University Cricket Club said: “On Thursday the 5^th March a number of Cardiff University Cricket Club members were present at Koko Gorrilaz.

“As is not uncommon at Cricket Club events, the club flag was on display.

“On this occasion, two other flags were brought and displayed by one club member including one flag that has caused significant upset to members of the public, including other students of Cardiff University.

“The Cricket Club would like to make it clear that it condemns the display of this item and we are shocked and embarrassed by the actions of one of our members.

“The Cricket Club is a sports club for enthusiastic cricketers and does not support or condone the actions of any such organisation and would like to apologise on behalf of its members for the offence caused.

“The Cricket Club is working with the Athletic Union to ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken in respect to the individual involved.”