The Sinn Fein Assembly member for Upper Bann, Dr Dara O'Hagan, has described the Parades Commission's decision to allow an Apprentice Boys parade to march up and down William Street, in Lurgan, Co Armagh, tomorrow as "unbelievable".
In a statement yesterday, Dr O'Hagan said the people of William Street were "furious that the Parades Commission is allowing this march to proceed up and then back down their street".
She said there was no justification for the commission's decision as William Street was a nationalist area of the town.
No consultation had taken place with residents of the street about the parade. This was "designed to cause the maximum offence possible".
William Street has been part of the "traditional route" for loyal order parades in Lurgan. However, the offices of the murdered solicitor, Ms Rosemary Nelson, are at the upper end of the street, making it a particularly sensitive area for local nationalists.
Meanwhile, Apprentice Boys clubs in Lurgan have rejected Dr O'Hagan's allegation of a lack of consultation with the residents of the street about the parade.
Mr Roy Ferguson, a spokesman for the clubs, said yesterday the Apprentice Boys had pressed for a public meeting with residents and business people of the area to discuss the situation. This had been refused. There was no evidence of a single complaint from local residents about tomorrow's march.
"This is a small, traditional parade which has always passed with discipline and dignity," said Mr Ferguson. "In fact this particular parade has taken place for 113 years without trouble."
He said the actions of Sinn Fein were "nothing less than a deliberate attempt to ethnic-cleanse north Lurgan of the Protestant tradition and culture".