A High Court judge has granted a temporary injunction on members of the Orange Order marching down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown.
Residents of the largely nationalist area launched an appeal against the Parades Commission ruling permitting the Orange Order to walk down the street on Sunday for the first time in 30 years.
On Saturday Justice Patricia Smyth blocked the commission decision, saying the “long-running dispute has the potential to escalate” across Northern Ireland.
A sticker on a road sign on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown Credit: Brian Lawless/PA
The stand-off at Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road opposed to the parade passing through the area, leading to violent clashes for several summers and political tension necessitating a major security operation.
The Orange Order has unsuccessfully applied for more than a quarter of a century to complete its 1998 walk along its traditional route.
On Friday the commission reversed its long-running determination, to the welcome of unionist parties and outrage of nationalist and republican parties.
Delivering her ruling on Saturday Ms Smyth said: “The level of mistrust between the residents and the Portadown Orange lodge cannot be overstated.
“Neither side accepts any reassurance provided by the other or that there’s any genuine reason for the stance adopted by the other.”
She added: “It’s also clear to me that this particular long-running dispute has the potential to escalate within Northern Ireland.
“Against that background I am thoroughly of the view that the issues of all three parties must be properly ventilated so that whenever a ultimate decision is made by this court the parties know they were heard.”
Earlier, the judge urged legal parties in the Drumcree march dispute to “step back from the abyss” and “reach agreement for the sake of everyone in Northern Ireland”.
A large crowd including political representatives gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Saturday.
Breandán Mac Cionnaith, from the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition, addressed the crowd and said they were at court to “seek justice for our community in Portadown.”
The Portadown District said it will “comply fully” with the Parades Commission determination and called for “respect for the law” from “those who have been affected by this decision”.
Drumcree Church in Portadown Credit: Niall Carson/PA
The Parades Commission, which decides on contentious marches in Northern Ireland, ruled on the order’s application for the Drumcree event, allowing them to walk there.
The commission placed a number of restrictions on the procession, including an 8am start time on Sunday and limiting it to 35 participants.
The PSNI was expected to put in place a significant security operation for the parade, with officers from outside the region set to assist under mutual aid arrangements.
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