Large crowds have gathered on both sides of the Drumcree parade dispute in Portadown, Northern Ireland, as the stand-off between residents of the Garvaghy Road and the Orange Order entered its second week. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said a “major public safety operation” would continue in the town across the weekend.
A rally on the Garvaghy Road drew huge numbers in support of local residents, while a smaller event took place in the Edgarstown area in support of the Orange Order.
Talks have broken down
The dispute began last month after a court ruling overturned an established decision that had stood for 28 years, and a fresh application to parade was lodged. The Parades Commission decided last Friday that the march could go ahead with restrictions, but that decision was challenged through the courts in Belfast and only cleared hours before the parade was due to take place.
Talks to end the parading dispute ended without agreement on Thursday. Protesters have remained on Garvaghy Road and the Orange Order has maintained a presence at Drumcree Church since.
A fresh legal bid by the residents to prevent the march had been due to be heard on Friday but was postponed until Monday. Just after 22:00 BST on Friday, Portadown Orangemen made another attempt to parade down the Garvaghy Road, and as on previous nights a senior PSNI officer stopped them at the bottom of Drumcree Hill.
Two very different messages
Speaking at the Garvaghy Road event, First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said she had heard Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant talk about “being between a rock and a hard place”, adding she had “never heard such nonsense, this is between right and wrong”.
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O’Neill said that if the British government is not prepared to end the crisis, “then it’s up to the thousands here, to collectively stand with the Garvaghy Road residents”.
At Drumcree church, DUP MP Carla Lockhart repeated calls for PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and his officers to facilitate the parade, describing the impasse as “mob rule”. Asked whether progress had been made, she said no.
A prolonged standoff
Bryant said he was “concerned at the prolonged standoff”, which he said was “ultimately in nobody’s interests”, adding that he had been working with all those involved to find a mutually acceptable solution. A Fianna Fail spokesperson said the taoiseach believes “now is a time for us to be calm and careful in what we say”, pointing to the “history of hurt around Drumcree”.
Why it matters
Drumcree is one of Northern Ireland’s most serious parading disputes, with the stand-off over attempts to march the Garvaghy Road accompanied by riots, roadblocks and killings before 1998. The dispute this time has lasted a week of nightly confrontations, with the PSNI deployment having cost £3m so far, according to the Chief Constable.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the investigation into anyone suspected of breaking the law “is continuing at pace”, and thanked officers from England and Scotland who have travelled to Northern Ireland to support policing efforts. The PSNI has said it continues to seek “safe and peaceful compliance” with the Parades Commission’s decision.
What happens next
Monday’s postponed legal hearing is the next significant date on the calendar. The PSNI has repeated appeals for calm and for all parties to refocus on finding a lasting resolution, and further attempts to walk the route are likely to continue to meet a police line while the legal position is tested.
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