The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer in charge of regulating tomorrow's Orange Order protests at Drumcree expects that the day will pass off in a peaceful and dignified fashion, but added he is prepared for any disorder.
As the police and British army gear up for their annual security operation at Drumcree, assistant chief constable Mr Stephen White said he detected from negotiations held with interested parties a "clear wish from everyone involved that there be no violence, that there be no law-breaking".
"That is exactly what I expect this Drumcree Sunday," he added. "In terms of law-breakers and illegal organisations, the good news is that the Orange Order has said that they should not be there, and paramilitary organisations' spokespersons said they will not be there, and any intelligence I have clearly indicates there is no desire for violence."
This corresponds with word on the ground in Portadown that loyalist paramilitaries intend keeping a low profile tomorrow.
Mr White stressed that police would not tolerate violence. "I want to warn people that obviously we will not be here just to simply watch protests if they become law-breaking. I want to make a very clear message: we are here for a purpose."
Mr White added there was always a potential risk, which would not be resolved until people dispersed from Drumcree hill. He also expressed concern that large numbers of resources were tied up policing Drumcree, which could be used for dealing with other priorities, such as ordinary crime.
Mr White has at his disposal up to 1,000 police officers, four British army battalions and water cannon to combat any disorder.
The mood on the nationalist Garvaghy Road, from which Portadown Orangemen are banned from marching, was calm yesterday. In this, the eighth Drumcree protest, there was also a nationalist expectation that tomorrow would conclude without major incident.
About 1,300 Orangemen are entitled to parade in tomorrow's march. Several hundred more supporters are expected to line the route and walk to Drumcree church.
An Orange Order spokesman yesterday warned potential troublemakers: "Get lost, mind your own business. You are not welcome because you do not serve the cause of the Orange Order, you do not serve the cause of unionism, and you do not serve the cause of peace in Northern Ireland."
The Parades Commission yesterday formally upheld its decision to ban the parade from entering the Garvaghy Road. Its chairman, Mr Tony Holland, also welcomed but declined a request to accept a protest letter from Portadown Orangemen at the police barrier tomorrow because it would be "counter-productive".
The commission also upheld its decision to allow Orangemen in Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh, to parade to and from church tomorrow.
Said Mr Holland: "I hope that both parts of the community will show tolerance of these decisions, even though they may not be universally popular for different reasons in each location. Tolerance and indeed respect are the essentials of meaningful dialogue".
