Police 'delayed' in attending Drumcree march

Published Thursday, 28 July 2011

Police say they were "delayed" in attending an Orange Order parade in Portadown, which may have breached a Parades Commission determination.

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Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd said Orangemen marched from Drumcree Church towards the nationalist Ballyoran estate on Wednesday night and only turned back when police arrived at the scene.

The organisation has been banned for years from parading through the district.

Mr O'Dowd condemned the Order for its actions and said: "There was no PSNI presence at the church - the Orange Order seemed to take this as a signal to take part in an illegal parade down Garvaghy Road."

In a statement released on Thursday morning, the PSNI's Area Commander Chief Inspector Anthony McNally responded by saying: "Enquiries are now underway into this incident and at this stage we are working to establish whether the Commission's determination was breached."

The statement continued: "Police have a responsibility to ensure that Parade Commission determinations are adhered to.

"Unfortunately, we were delayed in attending the parade last night, however everyone has a responsibility to uphold the law and anyone who breaks the law must be held accountable.

"Every member of the community in Portadown also has a responsibility to contribute to their community and ensure that it is inclusive and peaceful and that everyone's beliefs and rights are respected."

A spokesman for the Order said it would be making no comment until it knew the full facts of what happened.

Comments

32 Comments

Tom in belfast wrote (297 days ago):

Dear, dear another one who doesn't let the facts get in the way of his prejudice. Cedric is absolutely correct. It's you JT, that needs to go back to the books. You're making a ejit of yourself.

Cedric in belfast wrote (297 days ago):

JT, fraid not old boy. The North East broke away from the Irish free state. There's a lot og ignorance on this subject particlarly by Unionists who like to think of this place as "our wee country", or even more laughable Ulster, pathetic really. look up the Anglo Irish treaty for that period. The North East was for a time 6 days I think, part of the Irish Free state. Born here you're Irish JT nothing you can do about that, get over it.

JT in Antrim wrote (298 days ago):

@Cedric, get your nose in the books again and look at the facts, not what you'd like to think happened. The United Kingdom was the unification of Great Britan and all of Ireland, not just the north. This whole island was governed by the British. During the early years of the Free State, the 6 northern counties decided to remain part of the UK, not break away as you described. The free state broke away then became the Irish Republic. And if you were born here you can be Irish, British, Northern Irish, Muslim, Jedi Knight, infact anything you choose to perceive yourself as, not a label you want to put on someone to try and get a rise.

ANGRY TAX PAYER in belfast wrote (298 days ago):

@marc...Green, orange, pink,yellow. black, white, republican or loyalist.... it applies to ALL. If you truely believe in your culture then be prepared to take responsibility and pay for it yourself!!!! Private fields or sprts venues should be rented and the full costs of insurance liability & policing raised from supporters. There are better things to spend public money on than on bigots of any colour!!!

Marc in Lisburn wrote (299 days ago):

@ ANGRY TAX PAYER - I am a taxpayer also, as are most people, and I fully SUPPORT the Orange Orders right to parade on public roads! It is a part of the cultural identity in this country just as Hibernian's parades are a part of the cultural identity of this country and just as St Patrick's Day is a part of the culture in this country!!! Do you believe that the AOH should be locked in a field to march!? What about the St Patrick's parades? Should they also be taken off the public roads!!!???? Surely you think they should be!? After all it would hardly be fair if not!

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