Arabic version: الشرطة تمنع محاولة لتنظيم «الأورانج أوردر» للسير في طريق غارفاغي
According to BBC News, police stopped an early-morning attempt by the Orange Order to march from Drumcree Church down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. A line of police Land Rovers prevented the group from proceeding after protesters had blocked the mainly nationalist road and the permitted parade could not take place on Sunday.
The stand-off continued through Sunday, with Orangemen waiting at Drumcree Church, about a mile from the road, for police approval. Just before 04:00 BST on Monday, a group tried to set off but was blocked by three police Land Rovers. Later, five Orange Order members approached the police line at 09:30 and were told they could not proceed, including after removing their v-shaped orange collars.
The parade had been due to take place for the first time in 30 years following legal challenges. Since 1998, the Orange Order had been barred from completing the Drumcree route, with the Parades Commission repeatedly refusing permission. On Friday, the commission allowed the march with restrictions, including a start no later than 08:00 and a limit of 35 participants. Court challenges ended with the parade being approved hours before its planned Sunday start.
Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill joined protesters and said the community had won a “victory”. Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson accused O’Neill and other Sinn Féin politicians of being “lawmakers acting as lawbreakers”. Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant urged both sides to “double down on compromise” and said nobody should attend an unlawful protest.
Portadown Orange Order leaders met Sir Chris at Hillsborough Castle on Monday, while the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition was also scheduled to meet him. The Portadown district called for the resignations of Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson. Liam Kelly of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland said officers had shown “incredible restraint and professionalism”. Two local schools said they would close on Monday, citing safety and wellbeing concerns.
