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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham appealed for calm after a contentious Orange Order parade was allowed to go down Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Northern Ireland, for the first time in nearly 30 years.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for calm in Northern Ireland on Sunday after a contentious parade was given the go-ahead by the High Court in Belfast in a late-night sitting. The parade, organized by the Protestant Orange Order, was permitted to go down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in nearly 30 years. Thousands of protesters, many wearing balaclavas, gathered to block the marchers. The court hearing concluded at 2:15 a.m. local time on Sunday.
Background of the Garvaghy Road Dispute
The Garvaghy Road is a Catholic enclave in the largely Protestant town of Portadown, Northern Ireland. It had been a notorious flashpoint between communities in the years before the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 largely ended the bloodshed in Northern Ireland. During the so-called Troubles, some 3,600 people were killed while some 50,000 were wounded.
The Orange Order is a group hugely supportive of Northern Ireland being part of the U.K. It is named after William of Orange, a Protestant prince of Holland who defeated the Catholic King James to take over the British throne in the 17th century. The annual Drumcree parade is a key event for the order.
Political Reactions and Appeals for Calm
Burnham appealed for calm on all sides over the parade, saying there have been big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we do not want to see things go backwards. Jon Boutcher, the head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, called for those with influence to encourage people to comply with the law, referring to a large protest blocking the Garvaghy Road. He said there have been no signs of violence or disorder.
Police are engaging and working with all parties and will continue to do so. It is incumbent on us all to come together at times like this to do all we can to preserve a peaceful Northern Ireland, Boutcher said. Politicians representing the two sides were opposed in their viewpoints on whether the march should go ahead.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who represents Sinn Fein, the party historically linked to the Irish Republican Army, said the decision to give the march the go-ahead brings into question how this whole peace process works. The progress of the last 28 years have been brought into question by the actions of the Orange Order and those within political unionism that want to drag us backwards, she said while attending the counter-protest on the Garvaghy Road.
Gavin Robinson, the leader of the Democrat Unionist Party, the largest pro-U.K. party in Northern Ireland, called out Sinn Fein leaders for inflaming the situation. The rule of law cannot apply only when Sinn Fein likes the outcome, he said. Our institutions are founded on respect for the police, the courts and the rule of law.
Historical Context and Significance
Ending the Troubles meant balancing competing identities in Northern Ireland, which remained in the United Kingdom when the rest of Ireland won independence. Irish nationalists in the north, most of them Catholic, seek union with the Republic of Ireland, while largely Protestant unionists want to stay part of the U.K.
The march was given the final go-ahead at a court hearing concluded at 2:15 a.m. local time on Sunday. It is the first time in nearly 30 years that the Orange Order parade has been allowed to go down the Garvaghy Road. The decision has sparked significant controversy and protests.
Andy Burnham Northern Ireland Orange Order Garvaghy Road Portadown Good Friday Agreement Michelle O'neill
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