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The Drumcree dispute in Portadown enters its seventh day as the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road residents hold rival rallies, with police mounting a major operation.
Two rival demonstrations related to the Drumcree dispute are due to take place in Portadown, Co Armagh on Saturday, as a stand-off between the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road residents enters a seventh day.
The impasse has been ongoing since the Parades Commission gave the green light for the first time in almost 30 years for the Portadown District of the unionist Orange Order to complete its traditional route along the Garvaghy Road.
Marches in Drumcree in the 1990s often turned violent, and the current situation has raised tensions in the area.
Background of the Drumcree Dispute
The Drumcree dispute centres on the Orange Order's desire to march along the Garvaghy Road, a largely nationalist area, and the opposition of local residents. A coalition of residents in the Garvaghy Road area is opposed to the march going ahead this year and took legal action, which failed, before starting a protest to prevent the parade from taking place.
A fresh legal appeal by the residents is set to be heard in the Court of Appeal on Monday. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has said a major public safety operation will continue in Portadown over the weekend.
Northern Secretary Chris Bryant said he would especially urge calm this weekend. Bryant, who chaired talks with both sides during the week that were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement, said his door remains open for further engagement.
Everyone across Northern Ireland wants a peaceful resolution to the situation in Portadown, he said. I am continuing to work to find a mutually acceptable agreement and I am grateful to everyone who has offered help and has taken part in the discussions so far. My door remains open and I repeat my calls for people to support further compromise.
Rival Rallies and Political Reactions
A rally on Garvaghy Road in support of residents has been organised for 3pm. A separate rally is scheduled to take place in the Edgarstown area at 4pm in support of the Orange Order.
Sinn Féin politicians have been encouraging people to attend the Garvaghy Road demonstration, which has been dubbed the No Going Back rally. A statement from Sinn Féin said that the Garvaghy Road residents are holding a rally and calling on people from across Ireland to join with them in support of their right to live free from sectarian harassment and intimidation. Let us stand together, it added. There can be no Orange march forced down the Garvaghy Road. No going back.
The Orange Order rally, referred to as the Let Them Home Festival, is due to take place in Edgarstown at 4pm-8pm. This is an opportunity to come together in support of the 35, while enjoying an afternoon for the whole community, Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart said. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Come along and show your support peacefully and positively. Orange men wear your sash, she said in a post on social media.
Police Operation and Calls for Calm
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has said a major public safety operation will continue in Portadown over the weekend. The operation is aimed at ensuring the safety of all those involved and the wider public.
Northern Secretary Chris Bryant has reiterated his call for calm and compromise. He has been working to find a mutually acceptable agreement and has thanked everyone who has offered help and taken part in the discussions so far.
The situation remains tense as both sides prepare for their respective rallies. The Court of Appeal is due to hear a fresh legal appeal by the residents on Monday.
Additional reporting from PA.
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