Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant bans controversial Drumcree parade in Portadown

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant has banned a controversial Orange Order parade from marching down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The Irish Times, thejournal.ie, and Irish Examiner all report that Mr Bryant intervened to overturn a previous decision by the Parades Commission. The ban follows a standoff between Orangemen and nationalist residents that lasted almost two weeks. [1][2][3][4][6]

According to the Irish Times and thejournal.ie, Mr Bryant acted after Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher requested a review of the Parades Commission determination. Mr Bryant told the Press Association that it had not been possible to find accommodation between the Orange Order and nationalist residents, stating that the circumstances had changed considerably. [2][3][4]

Independent.ie reported that the decision was taken in the interests of wider public interest and safety. According to the Irish Examiner, the Taoiseach, Sinn Fein, and the SDLP welcomed the decision, while Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson stated that Mr Bryant must explain how the government intends to restore confidence in the rule of law. [1][4][8]

The Orange Order holds annual parades to commemorate the 1690 Battle of the Boyne, where Protestant King William III defeated Catholic forces. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the Parades Commission had originally approved an application for 35 Orangemen to march along the route without a band, leading residents of Garvaghy Road to challenge the ruling in the Court of Appeal in Belfast. [10][11][12]