Northern Ireland secretary denies he ‘bent the knee’ to Sinn Féin
Chris Bryant tells MPs his decision to block a legal Protestant parade has kept the peace in Northern Ireland, where the dispute is splitting the cross-community government in two.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant firmly denied claims that he "bent the knee" to Irish republicans, blocking a Protestant parade in Portadown. The U.K. region's unionists accused Bryant of giving in to threats of violence from Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, who were present at the march. Bryant argued that his decision was made to prevent violence, as the Orange Order had a legal right to parade.
The Orange Order, a pro-British Protestant brotherhood, had been blocked by pro-Irish republicans for nearly two weeks on the main Catholic area, Garvaghy Road. Despite the independent Parades Commission ruling in favor of a restricted parade, Bryant intervened, citing the importance of law and order. The conflict has reignited tensions in Northern Ireland, where unionists voted to dismiss four Sinn Féin ministers from the unity government.
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