The Parades Commission has banned the Belfast Walker Club, a local branch of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, from marching along the mainly nationalist Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast on Saturday 7 November.
The parade, with 80 participants and one band, had been due to leave Ballynafeigh Orange Hall at 09:30 GMT and travel along the Ormeau Road towards Donegall Pass, where participants planned to join a Remembrance parade. The commission ruled that the parade may not cross Ormeau Bridge at its junction with the Annadale Embankment or enter the section of Ormeau Road between that junction and the junction with Havelock Bridge. It received submissions from the organisers, residents of the Lower Ormeau Road and the wider area, the police and political parties before imposing the restrictions.
The commission said allowing the march to proceed along its proposed route would cause significant disruption to the local community, with the potential for disorder and harm to community relations. It said police had highlighted increased tensions over parading following recent events at Garvaghy Road in Portadown, as well as sectarian attacks on memorials in the Lower Ormeau Road area. A protest involving 1,500 participants has also been notified to take place at Ormeau Bridge.
Lower Ormeau Concerned Community spokesperson Gerard Rice said many people had been in touch to express relief at the decision. "Following the recent events at Drumcree there was a natural concern that the Parades Commission might get it wrong," he said. "We hope that today's decision will be maintained through the year ahead."
Sinn Féin assembly member Deirdre Hargey said the "decision is the correct one". "There was never any basis or justification for taking the community of the lower Ormeau Road back 27 years."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The decision removes a contentious march from a mainly nationalist stretch of the Ormeau Road at a time when police have reported heightened parading tensions.
- A protest of 1,500 people has already been notified at Ormeau Bridge, making the day a test for community relations.
- The ruling will be read as a signal for the rest of the parading year, with residents hoping the position holds.
Background
The Parades Commission is the body that adjudicates contentious parades in Northern Ireland. Its ruling came after it received submissions from the organisers, residents, the police and political parties, and after police reported increased tensions over parading following recent events at Garvaghy Road in Portadown and sectarian attacks on memorials in the Lower Ormeau Road area.
Key Perspectives
- Gerard Rice, Lower Ormeau Concerned Community: said many people had expressed relief and hoped the decision would be maintained through the year ahead.
- Deirdre Hargey, Sinn Féin: called the decision correct, saying there was never any basis or justification for taking the lower Ormeau Road community back 27 years.
- The Parades Commission: said the march would cause significant disruption, with the potential for disorder and harm to community relations.
What to Watch
- Whether the Belfast Walker Club proceeds with the parade under the restrictions on Saturday 7 November.
- Whether the notified 1,500-person protest at Ormeau Bridge passes off peacefully.
- Whether the commission's position holds through the rest of the parading year, as LOCC hopes.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Parades Commission banned the Apprentice Boys from marching along the Lower Ormeau Road.BBC Northern Ireland: “The branch has been told it cannot walk down the mainly nationalist Lower Ormeau Road.”
- SupportedThe Commission cited significant disruption to the local community as a risk.BBC Northern Ireland: “The commission said allowing the march to proceed along its proposed route would cause significant disruption to the local community”
- SupportedPolice highlighted increased tensions following recent Garvaghy Road events and sectarian attacks on memorials in the Lower Ormeau Road area.BBC Northern Ireland: “The commission said police had highlighted increased tensions over parading following recent events at Garvaghy Road in Portadown, as well as sectarian attacks on memorials in the Lower Ormeau Road area.”
- SupportedThe Belfast Walker Club, a local branch of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, was restricted from marching along the Lower Ormeau Road for the parade scheduled on Saturday 7 November.BBC Northern Ireland: “The branch has been told it cannot walk down the mainly nationalist Lower Ormeau Road. The parade is scheduled to take place on Saturday 7 November”
- SupportedThe parade may not cross Ormeau Bridge at the Annadale Embankment junction or enter the section of Ormeau Road up to Havelock Bridge.BBC Northern Ireland: “The parade is prohibited from crossing Ormeau Bridge at its junction with the Annadale Embankment or from entering that section of Ormeau Road between the junction of Ormeau Bridge and Annadale Embankment and the junction of Ormeau Road and Havelock Bridge.”
- SupportedThe Commission said the proposed route risked disorder and harm to community relations as well as disruption.BBC Northern Ireland: “The commission said allowing the march to proceed along its proposed route would cause significant disruption to the local community, with the potential for disorder and harm to community relations.”
- SupportedA protest involving 1,500 participants had been notified to take place at Ormeau Bridge.BBC Northern Ireland: “A protest involving 1,500 participants has also been notified to take place at Ormeau Bridge.”
- SupportedGerard Rice said: “Following the recent events at Drumcree there was a natural concern that the Parades Commission might get it wrong.”BBC Northern Ireland: “"Following the recent events at Drumcree there was a natural concern that the Parades Commission might get it wrong," he said.”
- SupportedGerard Rice said: “We hope that today's decision will be maintained through the year ahead.”BBC Northern Ireland: “"We hope that today's decision will be maintained through the year ahead."”
- SupportedDeirdre Hargey said the “decision is the correct one”.BBC Northern Ireland: “Sinn Féin assembly member Deirdre Hargey said the "decision is the correct one".”
- SupportedDeirdre Hargey said: “There was never any basis or justification for taking the community of the lower Ormeau Road back 27 years.”BBC Northern Ireland: “"There was never any basis or justification for taking the community of the lower Ormeau Road back 27 years."”
- SupportedThe parade was expected to have 80 participants.BBC Northern Ireland: “The parade is scheduled to take place on Saturday 7 November, with 80 participants and one band expected to take part.”