He was speaking following reports that the PSNI have been asked to investigate the incident that occurred on Saturday (15 June), during which around 1,500 people lined the streets of East Belfast in commemoration of UVF figure Robert ‘Squeak’ Seymour.
Mr McReynolds has said: “Whilst the turn of phrase being used to describe this disturbing event is ‘a show of strength’, I’d go so far as to say that what we saw was actually a show of fragility, and the growing rejection of such toxic, regressive worldviews by the general population.
“The people of East Belfast, and Northern Ireland at large, are sick of such acts of intimidation and sinister attempts to mark out territory. Most simply have no interest in what these groups have to say or claim to represent, and wish for all of them to exit the stage once and for all.
“We must firmly reject any attempts to drag us back to the darkest, most turbulent days of our recent past. I will be raising this incident at the next meeting of the Policing Board and will assist in any way I can to ensure a full and rigorous investigation is carried out.”