Drumcree parade banned after failure to reach agreement
The controversial Drumcree parade is to be banned, Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has said, reports BritPanorama.
Sir Chris explained that an agreement could not be reached between the Orange Order and local nationalist residents on Portadown’s Garvaghy Road.
An impasse between the opposing groups has now been ongoing for nearly two weeks, with the Parades Commission previously deciding the procession could proceed along Garvaghy Road subject to restrictions.
However, the march from Drumcree Church into Portadown failed to take place following a large protest blocking the route.
Sir Chris noted, “Everybody will have seen over the last two weeks that there’s been a major stand-off and a difficult situation in Drumcree and Portadown. I’ve been trying to find a solution to that stand-off.”
He continued, “I’ve had both sides of the argument, both the Garvaghy Road residents and the Orange Order in.”
Despite efforts to mediate, the Secretary acknowledged the inability to resolve the situation. “We’ve been talking it through, trying to find a solution, and unfortunately, we’ve not been able to do that,” he stated.
This decision comes after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) requested Sir Chris to review the Parades Commission’s determination. “Earlier today, the chief constable of the PSNI got in touch with me and asked me to look at the original determination by the Parades Commission to see whether it should still stand,” he explained. “I’ve looked at the changing situation in Portadown, the fact that it’s very difficult for that procession to proceed, and I’ve decided that it’s not in the public interest for it to proceed, and I’ve therefore banned the procession.”
Meanwhile, First Minister Michelle O’Neill has indicated her willingness to cooperate with a police investigation following a letter from the PSNI probing alleged criminal offences related to her involvement in a protest against the Orange Order parade on the Garvaghy Road.
Ms O’Neill confirmed she had received a letter inviting her for a police interview regarding the protest in Co Armagh. “I will co-operate with the investigation,” she stated. “For the last two weeks, I have stood in solidarity with the Garvaghy Road residents as attempts were made to force an unwanted Orange march through their community.”
She added, “I will continue to stand with the Garvaghy Road residents who should be allowed to live in peace and free from sectarian intimidation. Because it is always right to stand up for what is right. And there can be no going back.”
As tensions remain high, the impact of this decision is likely to resonate throughout the community as it navigates the enduring complexities of divisive parades in the region.
