Northern Ireland: 2,000 protesters block disputed Portadown march
About 2,000 people blocked an Orange Order march in Portadown despite heavy rain, after a late-night court battle saw the Court of Appeal permit the first such procession since 1998. Nationalist leaders have strongly criticised the decision.
Around 2,000 people gathered in Portadown, Northern Ireland, on Sunday morning to block a disputed Orange Order march, despite heavy rain. Police monitored the standoff using both vehicles and a helicopter.
The 35 Orange Order members authorised to take part in the parade remained inside a nearby church while the route stayed blocked. The limited procession was meant to pass along the road without bands or supporters — it would have been the first such march there since 1998.
A late-night legal battle
The dispute had already played out in court hours earlier. On Saturday, a High Court judge halted the parade, warning the long-running dispute risked escalating further. But shortly before midnight, the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling, with Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan stating the judge had "unfortunately erred in law". A further High Court challenge was dismissed in the early hours of Sunday.
The march had been scheduled to start at 8am and end by 9.30am, but the PSNI said the road had not been cleared, causing delays.
Political fallout
The ruling has drawn sharp criticism from nationalist figures. First Minister Michelle O'Neill questioned why the route was reopened after 28 years, while Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald called on the British government and police to halt the parade. Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged calm, saying the progress achieved since the Good Friday Agreement must not be reversed.
The standoff has revived memories of the Drumcree dispute, when the Garvaghy Road was a major flashpoint during the Troubles.
