A new Protestant umbrella group, the Ulster Coalition for Justice, held its first press conference in Portadown yesterday. The organisation, which is made up of various Protestant action groups and representatives of the loyal orders, has been formed to "ensure that the same justice that has been awarded to nationalists is now given to Protestants".
At the Carleton Street Orange Hall in Portadown, Co Armagh, home of the Drumcree Orangemen, representatives of the group dealt primarily with the issues of the two contentious parades scheduled to take place today. The Ancient Order of Hibernians will parade through the predominantly Protestant town of Kilkeel, Co Down, and the Independent Orange Order is holding a parade and rally in support of the Drumcree Orangemen in Portadown.
Mr Ronald McConnell of the Mourne Residents for Justice Group said the coalition had no plans to block the Kilkeel parade and that the Ancient Order of Hibernians would be allowed to proceed unhindered through the town. The marchers, he said, were exercising their civil and religious liberties.
He also warned those intent on causing trouble to stay away. "We have shown tolerance in Kilkeel. Breandan Mac Cionnaith has now the opportunity to show the same degree of tolerance by allowing the Portadown Orange District to march peacefully down the Garvaghy Road," he said.
Mr David Jones of the Portadown District said tonight's rally in Portadown showed the wide community support for the stand taken over Drumcree. He accused the Parades Commission of being a "law-breakers' charter" and called on the British government to respect the civil rights of the Protestant community, which had been denied to Protestant families on the lower Garvaghy Road by the commission's decision not to allow tonight's Orange parade into their area.
Tension in Portadown is still high. Loyalists have been mounting an increasing number of nightly protests in support of the local Orangemen close to nationalist areas. There is also growing tension between loyalists and the RUC after a series of incidents at the protests. Local nationalists are also concerned at what they see as yet another mass demonstration by the Orange Order in an attempt to force the Drumcree parade down Garvaghy Road.