Orangemen banned from marching on Garvaghy Road

The Parades Commission has ruled on three contentious Orange marches planned for the 10th and 12th of July.

The Parades Commission has ruled on three contentious Orange marches planned for the 10th and 12th of July.

In keeping with decisions in previous years, the march from Drumcree will be banned from the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh. It takes place this Sunday.

In north Belfast local lodges will be permitted to return from the main Twelfth demonstration in the city by walking past Ardoyne en route to Ballysillan.

However, the commission has imposed a series of conditions on the Orangemen, bandsmen and their supporters.

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There was significant violence at the same event last year. On June 17th last nearly 30 people and police officers were hurt as three Ballysillan lodges returned home past Ardoyne where they were stoned by nationalist protesters.

This was the first time that the commission, acting under new legislation, was empowered to lay down conditions on others as well as Orangemen and band members.

As with the June 17th demonstration, music will be prohibited as bands pass by the flashpoint at Ardoyne and conditions will apply to the passage of supporters.

In west Belfast an Orange march heading to the main Orange parade in the city on the Twelfth will be permitted to march along Workman Avenue in the Whiterock area.

However, Orangemen are not being allowed to use the same route for their return march home in the evening.

A loyalist march was postponed on June 24th last following a rerouting order from the commission. Orangemen were told they could not parade along Workman Avenue and were ordered to march through the former Mackies engineering plant instead.

The marchers postponed their parade in protest and held a demonstration in the Shankill area the following day instead.