A judge has granted a temporary injunction against an Orange Order parade passing through the predominantly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh, on Sunday.
Local residents took a legal challenge to the High Court in Belfast on Saturday against a ruling by the Parades Commission on Friday that would have permitted the Orange Order to walk down the street for the first time in 30 years.
Judge Patricia Smyth also passed an injunction suspending the Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge’s notification to the Parades Commission.
“The level of mistrust between the residents and the Portadown Orange Lodge cannot be overstated,” she said in her ruling. “Neither side accepts any reassurance provide by the other or that there’s any genuine reason for the stance adopted by the other.”
She said it was “clear to me that this particular long-running dispute has the potential to escalate within Northern Ireland”.
The Garvaghy Road in Portadown. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
She added: “Against that background I am thoroughly of the view that the issues of all three parties must be properly ventilated so that whenever an ultimate decision is made by this court the parties know they were heard.”
A lawyer representing a member of the Orange Order in the proceedings said he would appeal the decision to the Belfast Court of Appeal on Saturday night.
A large crowd gathered outside the High Court in Belfast on Saturday in advance of the legal challenge.
Breandán Mac Cionnaith, from the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition, addressed the crowd, saying they were at court to “seek justice for our community in Portadown”.
“All of this depends on the support that we have, not just here, the support that we have in Portadown as you are probably aware, over the last number of days, coming from all of the six counties, and coming from the 26 counties – Ireland’s behind us,” he said.
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson (centre) with DUP representatives Jonathan Buckley, Carla Lockhart and Diane Dodds outside court after the ruling. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Alongside Mac Cionnaith were Sinn Féin representatives John O’Dowd and Catherine Nelson, as well as SDLP leader Claire Hanna and MLA Justin McNulty.
DUP representatives Carla Lockhart, Jonathan Buckley and Diane Dodds were also present, as were representatives of the Portadown Orange Lodge and loyalist activist Jamie Bryson.
The judge had earlier urged the parties in the dispute to “step back from the abyss” and “reach agreement for the sake of everyone in Northern Ireland”. However, the Portadown District Orange Lodge declined a request to postpone the parade.
Smyth noted the important date for the Orange Order is July 5th and therefore “there is no prejudice in adjourning for a short period to allow this case to be prepared by all parties”.
The judge highlighted that there is “nothing special” about the date of September 27th and said she “had hoped parties might agree some midway to hold the status quo” while legal issues are resolved. She also said that notification of counter protest “needs to be taken into account”.
The Drumcree parade dominated headlines in the 1990s when violent clashes and political tension necessitated a major security operation for several summers, as Garvaghy Road residents rejected the march passing through the community. A number of people were killed during tensions linked to the dispute. The parade had not taken place since 1998.
[ Drumcree dispute overshadows last UUP conference before Stormont electionOpens in new window ]
In its ruling, the Parades Commission said it understands “the genuine hurt experienced by many residents of the Garvaghy Road”. It said the determination “is not, and should not, be perceived as a victory for one side or a loss for another”.
It had placed a number of restrictions on the procession, including limiting it to 35 participants. The parade was due to depart from Drumcree Church at 8am on Sunday, under the commission’s restrictions, and would have been a silent parade with no bands. Members of the Portadown lodge had originally applied for a 60-member parade beginning at 1pm.
The PSNI had been 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. – PA