N. IRELAND: ORANGE ORDER & SECURITY FORCES STAND-OFF CONTINUES

(6 Jul 1998) English/Nat
The stand-off is continuing between members of the Orange Order and Northern Ireland security forces, following Sunday's controversial Dumcree March.
Protestants marching in the annual parade have been prevented from moving into a Catholic area.
Police and soldiers blocked members of the Orange Order from parading through a hostile neighborhood in Portadown to prevent violent clashes between Protestants and Catholics like in years past.
Hundreds of members of Northern Ireland's main Protestant brotherhood are insisting the march will take them through Garvaghy Road.
The Orange Order march set off peacefully from the Orange Hall in Portadown on Sunday.
Several thousand Orangemen from across Northern Ireland gathered in Drumcree in support of the locals who stage the annual procession.
Every year, members of the group defy their Catholic neighbours and march through the streets of Portadown, via the Catholic Garvaghy Road in a traditional parade celebrating their British identity.
For the past two years, the Drumcree March has sparked riots across Northern Ireland, and in a bid to sidestep any violence, a special commission banned the Orangemen from entering the Catholic area of town.
Apart from the beat of a drum, the Sunday's parade was silent as it passed the top of the Garvaghy Road on its way to Drumcree church.
About two dozen police officers stood between the marchers and the protesters.
After a church service, some 15-hundred members of Northern Ireland's main Protestant fraternal order marched up to the barricades.
Local Orange Order leaders tried to hand a letter of complaint to police, but no officer came forward to talk to them.
With 2-thousand police and troops on duty in the Portadown area and the massive security operation in place, the Orangemen had no way of forcing their way through the security cordon.
But they remained resolute.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
Q. How long do you propose to keep an Orange presence here?
"As long as is necessary."
SUPER CAPTION: Harold Gracey, Portadown, Orange Order Grand Master
The marchers then turned around and headed back down the lane towards Drumcree Church.
The Orangemen warned that serious consequences could result from the blockade.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It sickens - I don't see any need for this at all. After what happened last year I thought the government would have learnt from experience that this would make the trouble worse. If they took the other decision there would be trouble, if they take this one there will be a lot more trouble, more widespread. Not that you'd want it, but it speaks for itself."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Orangeman
SOUNDBITE: (English)
The few who make a bigger fuss - I think it's ridiculous. The Garvaghy Road - 500 people capable of standing here, not right, not right."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Orangeman
A representative of the Irish Republican Army-allied Sinn Fein Francie Malloy, who claimed to be a representative of Catholic people in the area, said he was suspicious that the parade would be allowed onto Garvaghy Road.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are not going to antagonise anyone. We're going down to speak to the press and we are entitled to speak to the press down there. We are also entitled to inspect what is going on because we feel what you're (authorities) doing is simply preparing the way to put this parade up the road and you don't want us to see what you're doing."
SUPER CAPTION: Francie Malloy, Sinn Fein Councillor
Residents of Garvaghy road are concerned at what may happen in the coming hours.
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[@brainbaskerville3341]

the loyelist druming is brillant

[@magamagaaa]

Will these plonkers go back to mainland UK once an 32 county republic happens I wonder?

[@RobertK1993]

I wonder why Ulster Scots Presbyterians march to Anglican Church isn't that Catholic light church 😂