Northern Ireland secretary says he will ban Drumcree parade

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant announced on Friday that the Drumcree parade will be banned. The dispute has escalated into a standoff between Orangemen and nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, lasting nearly two weeks. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief constable advised Sir Chris that enabling the procession would pose a significant risk of serious injury, disorder, and wider contagion effects across Northern Ireland.

The Parades Commission had previously ruled that the march could proceed with restrictions, but the parade did not happen due to a large protest on Garvaghy Road. Sir Chris concluded that circumstances have changed considerably since the original determination, and the procession cannot go ahead as initially determined. Both Sinn Féin and the SDLP had pressured Sir Chris to stop the parade, which has been ongoing for 13 days.

The Taoiseach of Ireland praised the decision, stating it would bring relief to communities across Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland. However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader criticized the move, attributing it to Sinn Féin's disregard for the recent determination and potential violence. The Chief Constable had previously warned that forcing an Orange Order march could have catastrophic consequences.