Orange Order demands meetings after Garvaghy Road parade ban

The Orange Order is seeking urgent meetings after Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant banned the group from marching along Garvaghy Road in Portadown. RTÉ, thejournal.ie and the Northwich Guardian reported that the decision followed an almost two-week standoff. According to independent.ie, residents of Garvaghy Road gathered at the Drumcree Community Centre on Friday night and cheered the news. [1][2][3][4][9]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Secretary Chris Bryant stepped in to overturn the original determination by the Parades Commission. RTÉ reported that Chris Bryant said it was impossible to find an accommodation between the Orange Order and the residents of Garvaghy Road. He added that the march was banned in the interests of wider public safety. [2][4][7][13]

Thejournal.ie reported that police warned of serious disorder if the parade was allowed to proceed. In response, the Orange Order accused the Northern Ireland Secretary of a capitulation to the threat of mob rule and violence. The group stated that it will seek urgent discussions with both Chris Bryant and the Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable. [3]

The Loyal Orange Institution is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland. Its core activities include annual parades that underscore loyalty to the British Crown and commemorate the 1690 Battle of the Boyne. [11][12]