LOCAL representatives united in condemnation of the force used by the security forces to clear the Garvaghy Road, with both the residents' spokesman, Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith, and Ms Brid Rodgers of the SDLP describing the actions of RUC as "brutal" and "disgraceful".
In an atmosphere of high tension from the first moment the force of 1,000 police in full riot gear and 500 soldiers moved on to the road, Mr Mac Cionnaith and Ms Rodgers frequently found themselves pushed back from the road by police shields.
Attempts by them and a Sinn Fein councillor, Mr Francie Molloy, to open discussions with police as to how residents would be moved back from the road failed.
"Are these people to be left absolutely no dignity at all - three betrayals and now this," asked Ms Rodgers. She said the decision to allow the parade through was the first disaster, and the manner of its implementation was "totally and absolutely brutal".
In the early stages of the operation, Ms Rodgers and Mr Mac Cionnaith made repeated requests to police before finally being let through to people sitting on the road, as police hauled them off. A number of residents who offered resistance, among them teenage girls and elderly men, were kicked or batoned as they were thrown on to the side of the road. Locals cheered as each resident was carried through, and shouted "Where are your sashes?" to the police. Frequent scuffles broke out.
"These people are engaged in a peaceful protest and I say fair play to them for being able to withstand RUC attacks," said Mr Mac Cionnaith. He claimed the police were guilty of "an act of savagery" and vented his anger on the Assistant Chief Constable, Mr Freddie Hall, when he appeared on the scene.
Running toward Mr Hall, Mr Mac Cionnaith shouted: "Are you proud of what you've done here today?" The residents' spokesman was quickly surrounded by police officers who pushed him behind a second line of riot police. Mr Mac Cionnaith, who offered no resistance, was kicked by one of the officers as he was forced back.
As his officers pushed further into the estate, Mr Hall said many influential people had been involved in trying to find an accommodation, but that that had not been found.
"Once again the police, supported by the military, find ourselves in the middle attempting to avoid confrontation and maintain the peace. Regrettably as our patrols were moving into the area, they came under heavy attack from petrol-bombing and paint bombs and stoning.
"That fort of violence toward the security forces can serve no purpose, no cause, and my appeal to community leaders and to the whole community is to ensure calm exists in Portadown throughout the day," said Mr Hall.
Mr Mac Cionnaith criticised the British government for "coming in like thieves in the night to beat the people off the road". He challenged the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, to come and explain her actions to the residents. He vowed later never to speak to her again: "No self-respecting nationalist could ever talk to her again after this.
"The British government has capitulated to the threat of violence. They are sending out the message that might is right, that violence wins. I think it is a very dangerous message to be sending out to the nationalist community at a time when people are trying to rebuild a peace process," said Mr Mac Cionnaith.
He said they had been given "absolutely no indication" at any stage that the parade would be allowed through.
Ms Rodgers said she had made numerous attempts to contact Dr Mowlam throughout the early hours of the morning but had been unsuccessful.