Police preparing files on 18 for prosecutors following Drumcree parade dispute

Police are compiling case files for prosecutors regarding 18 individuals implicated in a conflict over the Drumcree parade dispute. This investigation centers around an allegedly illegal protest during the parade, which aimed to pass through the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in three decades. Despite receiving official permission, the parade was thwarted by large crowds opposing the event and a police assessment deeming it unsafe to escort.

So far, 18 out of 60 suspects have been interviewed, with the remaining cases to follow the standard procedure of preparing files before submission to the Public Prosecution Service. The investigation, led by a team of 30 officers, is ongoing and could span several weeks. Three Sinn Féin councillors, including Craigavon councillor Catherine Nelson and Belfast councillor Conor McKay, voluntarily attended police interviews.

Nelson expressed pride in standing with the residents of Garvaghy Road, emphasizing the community's peaceful nature and opposition to any resurgence of fear or intimidation.