Belfast court injuncts Orange Order Garvaghy Road march, a day before parade
Belfast High Court has temporarily injuncted the Orange Order's Garvaghy Road parade, suspending the Parades Commission's Friday decision to allow it, until a judicial review is fully heard.
The Belfast High Court has temporarily injuncted the Orange Order’s parade down the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, suspending a Parades Commission decision taken only on Friday that would have allowed it for the first time in 28 years.
After a five-hour hearing at a special Saturday sitting, Justice Smyth ordered the parade — due to start at 8am on Sunday 27 September — suspended until a judicial review of the Commission’s determination can be fully heard. She also suspended Friday’s determination itself, which had allowed the 8am start with 35 participants but placed no restrictions on the route.
The last-minute challenge was brought by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition; the PSNI and the Parades Commission were in court. The Portadown Loyalist Orange Lodge was not represented but made clear, through the individual who sought parade permission, that it would not agree to suspend the procession. An appeal by loyalists was to be heard at a second special hearing on Saturday night.
Justice Smyth said: “The level of mistrust between residents and Portadown Loyalist Lodge cannot be overstated. Neither side accepts any of the reassurances of the other.” She added: “It is also clear to me that this particular long-running dispute has the potential to escalate within Northern Ireland,” urging all sides to “Be big enough to step back from the abyss”.
Fears of clashes grew after a countermarch request — a protest estimated at up to 5,000, later revised to 300, the court heard. The road has been off-limits for 28 years since widespread sectarian violence in 1998 outside Drumcree church. PM Andy Burnham appealed to leaders on Friday night to “work calmly”; NI secretary Chris Bryant called for “cool heads”. DUP MP Carla Lockhart said nationalist residents had “nothing to fear”, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called the Commission’s decision “utterly reckless”.
Sources
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