The Northern Ireland Security Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, has called on Orangemen to end their standoff in Portadown, Co Armagh, and observe the rule of law by marching back from Drumcree Church the way they came.
Admitting it was hard to predict what might happen as a result of the Orange Order's protest, he appealed for calm. He said it would depend on whether there was an outbreak of violence which could "precipitate a new attitude and approach from those who are currently encamped there".
The Security Minister praised the Orangemen for their "peaceful" protest, but warned that while there are "many decent people who do not want to see violence there are others on the extremes who do want to precipitate violence". He added: "At the end of the day it is down to local determination. It's not down to the forces of law and order, the government minister or to politicians. It is down to the local community and those who want to march to find a different answer than has prevailed in the past. "That is the best answer they can give to the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland who voted twice for a better future."
Mr Ingram said the decision by the Parades Commission "would prevail" and called on the Orangemen to observe the rule of law, and "march back the route they came". Concerns about the possibility of violence in other parts of Northern Ireland in support of the Orangemen in Portadown increased yesterday after police recovered 48 petrol bombs in the Waterside area of Derry, and 20 crates of milk bottles and 11 plastic drums of petrol in a loyalist housing estate.
The RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, made it clear that force of numbers would not make him reverse the Parades Commission's decision. "The march will not be forced down. It is our responsibility to uphold the law and it is our responsibility to enforce the lawfully binding decision of the Parades Commission," he said.
Mr Flanagan appealed for calm: "There is no need for violence, it serves no one's purpose . . . and I would urge everyone to act calmly."
The Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, added her voice to the pleas for peace and acknowledged that the march after the church service had been "very dignified". Her thoughts were with the RUC officers, "who yet again are caught in the situation at Drumcree between two sides".
Dr Mowlam said she hoped people "will follow compliance with the law and take the route back that they took to the church". She stressed that the Parades Commission's decision had not been based on judgment of right or wrong, but its decision had to be adhered to.
"It is a question of finding an accommodation between two sides. We tried desperately, weeks on end, as we have this week, right up to last night, and many of us were still trying again this morning to see if we could get an accommodation," she said.
Parades Commission chairman Mr Alastair Graham stood by the decision to reroute the Drumcree Orange parade away from the Garvaghy Road. He insisted the Parades Commission was not "anti-parades" and said he understood the deep sense of hurt felt by Orangemen over their decision on the Drumcree parade.
Mr Graham urged Orangemen to drop their self-imposed ban on talking to the commission. "I understand their deep sense of hurt about the whole legislation that was introduced to regulate parades in Northern Ireland. But we are where we are and we need to find a way of moving forward.
"It should be remembered we have had 1,861 parades so far in the marching season. So far the Parades Commission has only rerouted nine of them."
Today, the Parades Commission will announce decisions on 28 parades to be held during the July 12th annual parades. Mr Graham said many of the parades would be "going ahead unhindered".