Commission bans Ardoyne Apprentice Boys' march

The North's Parades Commission has this afternoon decided not to allow an Apprentice Boys' feeder parade past the Ardyone area…

The North's Parades Commission has this afternoon decided not to allow an Apprentice Boys' feeder parade past the Ardyone area of Belfast.

A number of nationalist community representatives met with the Commission in the past two days to demand the parade, which is due to take place next Friday, be banned.

Even though the parade has passed off peacefully in recent years, nationalists claim trouble which flared in the area during the last 12th of July made has made the coming parade too contentious.

This evening's determination appeared to agree: "The Commission has cause to believe that should the parade process without restriction there will be an adverse effect on fragile community relations, and potential for public disorder."

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More than 20 police officers were injured in Belfast's worst riots for two years as nationalist youths went on the rampage when loyalists were forced through the area on the 12th.

Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Mr Gerry Kelly said that the Parades Commission determination banning the parade is "the only sensible decision that could have been reached".

But he warned the determination must not be overturned by the actions of the PSNI or the Northern Ireland Office.

"The community in Ardoyne is still very angry at the way the PSNI and NIO over-turned the Parades Commission ruling and forced an Orange Order parade and their unionist paramilitary supporters through this area," Mr Kelly said.

The Ardoyne parade is a feeder parade for the main Apprentice Boys' march in Derry in which 10,000 people are expected to take part.

A brief statement issued by the Apprentice Boys Association said the "Parades Commission has once again capitulated to the threat of violence".