Orange Parade Restricted

The Orange Order will not be allowed to march past shops in the predominantly Catholic area of Ardoyne in north Belfast tonight, the Parades Commission has ruled.

The Order had submitted a proposal to the Parades Commission, requesting to be allowed to 'finish' a march that began on 12 July this year.

The Commission ruled that the July parade would only be allowed to march through the nationalist Ardoyne area once on the outward journey, but would be prevented from doing so on the return journey.

Scenes of violence and riotous behaviour were subsequently beamed across international news channels, as loyalists took to the street in protest at the decision and attacked police with concrete blocks, glass bottles and other missiles.

Now, the Orange Order says it will not engage with local residents in north Belfast until it has been allowed to complete the parade.

This latest submission to the Parades Commission was an attempt by the Order to finish the parade, but the application to march past shop fronts in Ardoyne has been rejected.

A statement from the Commission said it had "considered and evaluated all representations received, including the issue of past behaviour, and...subsequently concluded...that the determination which it now makes is the most appropriate for this particular parade."

The Commission also said it had heard from representatives within the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association, the SDLP and Sinn Féin, noting: "The Commission is becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of engagement by those organising and supporting these parades. The Commission is disappointed that to date it has not received any representations from unionist politicians."

On 21 September, 1,000 loyalist protestors began a parade at Belfast City Hall at 13:30, in breach of a Parades Commission determination that the march should begin at 12:30, despite being warned by the PSNI that the breach made the parade unlawful.

In 2012, a loyalist band was filmed marching up and down outside St Patrick's Catholic Church in north Belfast playing an anti-Catholic song about the Irish famine on 12 July.

Considering this latest ruling, the Commission said: "In a sensitive interface area such as this it is particularly important that those in the parade show respect for all those living in the area."

Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said: "I welcome this decision by the Parades Commission and believe it is a sensible one. It was clearly an attempt to undermine the Parades Commission who had made their determination on the July 2013 parade.

"The dialogue that began before the 12th July to find a resolution to the situation should recommence without pre-conditions.

"What needs to happen is direct dialogue between the local residents and the Orange Order.

"In the interim a genuine effort to lessen community tension would be for the Orange Order, unionist politicians and loyalist paramilitaries to move their protest camp away from the interface at Twaddell."

The Orange Order described the decision as "shameful".

It said: "It is shameful that the Parades Commission – who created the situation at Woodvale – choose to consistently deny civil and religious liberty for all in north Belfast, and blatantly ignore a commitment by the Institution to full and open dialogue with Ardoyne residents following the completion of this long-held and traditional parade. Rather, they continue to consume only the republican narrative, succumb to the threat of violence posed by dissidents and in doing so have poisoned the positive atmosphere emanating from the Haass talks.

"However despite this setback, the Orange family and our Unionist partners involved in the Civil Rights Camp remain determined to peacefully and resolutely maintain the ongoing presence at Twaddell Avenue. The campaign will continue for the lodges to be allowed to go home."

(IT/CD)