Orange Order to discuss Drumcree march ban

The Orange Order in Portadown, Co Armagh, is meeting this evening to decide on whether to seek a review of the Parades Commission…

The Orange Order in Portadown, Co Armagh, is meeting this evening to decide on whether to seek a review of the Parades Commission's decision not to allow next weekend's Drumcree parade pass along the nationalist Garvaghy Road.

A spokesman for the Order would not comment on media reports that the controversial Drumcree march might be cancelled by the Order itself due to the ban.

However, he said the Portadown District No 1 order would meet tonight to decide whether to seek a review and he expected it would probably do so.

Drumcree: in previous years there have been violent clashes between marchers and residents
Drumcree: in previous years there have been violent clashes between marchers and residents

The Parades Commission has once again banned Portadown Orangemen from parading from Drumcree Church down the Garvaghy Road next Sunday.

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In recent years, the tense atmosphere between the marchers and the local nationalist residents has been contained after several years of violent clashes surrounding the Drumcree march.

There were concerns about whether last weekend's Whiterock parade along the Springfield Road in Belfast would pass off peacefully after the Parades Commission reversed an earlier decision to ban it.  The march on Saturday did pass off without trouble, although nationalists came out in protest against the Parades Commission's decision.

There was a heavy PSNI presence on the Springfield Road where around 400 nationalists gathered to protest. The protest was also marshalled by republican representatives.

There are hopes that the mood will remain positive to ensure that Drumcree and subsequent July marches also pass peacefully.