Parades Commission blocks march on contested Belfast route

Summarised from 4 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 29 Oct, 12:10 · Archive

The Parades Commission has prohibited a loyalist parade from crossing Ormeau Bridge on Belfast's Lower Ormeau Road on 7 November.

The Parades Commission has imposed restrictions on a proposed march by the Belfast Walkers Club scheduled for 7 November. The parade would have consisted of 80 participants and one band, beginning at Ballynafeigh Orange Hall at 09:30 and travelling along the Ormeau Road towards Donegall Pass to join a Remembrance parade.

The commission prohibited the parade from crossing Ormeau Bridge at its junction with Annadale Embankment and from entering the section of Ormeau Road between the junction of Ormeau Bridge and Annadale Embankment and the junction with Havelock Bridge. This lower section has not been open to such parades since 1999. The proposed route would have taken marchers past the site of the Sean Graham's bookmaker's massacre, where five people were murdered by a UDA/UFF gunman on 5 February 1992.

The commission received submissions from the parade organisers, residents of the Lower Ormeau Road, residents of the wider area, the police and political parties. It ruled that allowing the march to proceed along its proposed route would cause significant disruption to the local community, with the potential for disorder and harm to community relations.

The police highlighted increased tensions over parading following recent events at Garvaghy Road in Portadown, as well as sectarian attacks on memorials in the Lower Ormeau Road area. A memorial to those who died in the Sean Graham's massacre has been vandalised twice in recent months.

A counter-protest involving 1,500 participants has been notified to take place at Ormeau Bridge. Sinn Féin assembly member Deirdre Hargey welcomed the decision, saying there was 'never any basis or justification for taking the community of the lower Ormeau Road back 27 years'.

How it is being reported

• Loyalist parade prohibited from marching lower Ormeau RoadA Loyalist parade has been told it cannot march along the lower Ormeau Road in Belfast.News Letter · 29 Oct, 12:07
• The 10 conditions imposed on Ormeau Road parade as controversial route blockedThe Belfast Walkers Club parade will take place in South Belfast next SaturdayBelfast Live · 29 Oct, 12:05
• Loyalist march through lower Ormeau blocked by Parade’s CommissionBelfast Telegraph · 29 Oct, 11:48
• Loyalist parade prohibited from marching lower Ormeau RoadBelfast Telegraph · 29 Oct, 11:37
• Restrictions imposed on Ormeau Road paradeThe parade is prohibited from crossing Ormeau Bridge at its junction with the Annadale Embankment.BBC Northern Ireland · 29 Oct, 11:37
• Live updates as Ormeau Road parade and protest decision made by Parades CommissionThe parade has not been allowed to cross Ormeau Bridge since 1999Belfast Live · 29 Oct, 11:23

In this story: Belfast Walkers Club · Apprentice Boys of Derry · Ormeau Road · Parades Commission · Deirdre Hargey · Sinn Féin

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log