27/08/2001

Marching season’s last parades pass off peacefully

The annual parades held by the loyalist Royal Black Institution have passed off peacefully as the province’s marching season drew to a close on Saturday.

Thousands of people took part in processions at various locations around the province.

Though several of the parades had restrictions placed on their routes by the Parades Commission all of the ‘Last Saturday’ parades went off without incident.

The Belfast district’s main parade took place in Carrickfergus and a protest was mounted as a feeder parade passed shops adjacent to the mainly nationalist Ardoyne area.

Royal Black Institution Sovereign Grand Master Billy Logan said that while it was regrettable that attempts had been made to ban the march past the Ardoyne area, he maintained that people had a right to protest if that was their wish.

The parade in Londonderry was unopposed following talks between representatives of the Bogside Residents Association, the City Centre Initiative group, and the Royal Black Institution. (SP)

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