Orangemen call for new legislation at Drumcree parade

The Orange Order has used its annual Drumcree parade and church service in Portadown to call for new parading legislation.

Grand secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Drew Nelson was among the senior Orangemen in attendance yesterday.

In a speech to gathered Orangemen, Mr Nelson claimed 1,859 parades had been restricted between 2004 and 2014 and said “cultural suppression is not acceptable”.

He accused nationalists and republicans of "holding a veto over progress" and called again on Northern Secretary of State Theresa Villiers to introduce new parading legislation.

"Peaceful and dignified protest remains our best means of opposition to the illogical decisions of the Parades Commission, " he said. "Your actions continue to expose the flawed nature of a failed and unsustainable process."

Since 1998, Orangemen have held a weekly protest at the Drumcree church in Portadown in an attempt to complete the parade that would take them along the Garvaghy Road, a predominantly nationalist area.

Without incident

Once a focal point for violence and disorder, the parade yesterday from Carleton Street Orange Hall passed off without incident.

Portadown district master Darryl Hewitt urged Orange brethren to ignore the Parades Commission determination to leave the area by 2.30pm "as we do not intend leaving by the time an unelected quango has told us to leave by".

“Our resolve has not diminished over the weeks, months and indeed years – no one should be in any doubt – Portadown district are in this for the long haul – we will not be deflected from seeking to achieve our objective.”

Four Orange halls have been attacked in the North in the last week. Yesterday, the PSNI's Supt John Magill said graffiti had been painted overnight on walls of an Orange Hall in the Main Street area of Rasharkin, Co Antrim. The incident is being treated as a hate crime.