Hopes For Peaceful 'Tour' Parade

It will be double orange squashes all round at one of this year's loyal order marches if the Orange Order succeeds in its pledge to support the police stopping people drinking alcohol at a previously contentious parade in north Belfast on Friday.

The news follows on from an initiative by officials organising the traditional 'Tour of the North' march in the city to create a family atmosphere.

Spokesman, Stephen McAlister, from the order, said they had worked closely with the police on their plans: "What we will do is, we will have a marshal close by police and officials," he said.

"Just to say to the community 'look this is wrong, we don't want this and we support what the police are doing'."

Things are already looking good for the event - which has seen concerted violence in the past as republicans and nationalists turned out to oppose the parade passing peripheral parts of their areas - when it was announced that a deal had been brokered by Ardoyne residents and parade organisers to alter the route of the parade.

Following these talks, the return journey of Friday's parade will not pass the Ardoyne shops flashpoint - but this hasn't proved entirely successful in the past.

Back in June 2006, similar talks between loyalist and nationalist groups over the parade, prompted the NI Parades Commission to hold back from making a ruling on the main parade or any of its feeder parades.

The Orangemen therefore agreed to limitations on a contentious part of the return leg of the parade while residents will stage a smaller protest.

They said the return parade in 2006 would proceed down the same route as normal but consist of only one band, a single banner and representatives only of the constituent lodges.

In the event, there was only a minor disturbance at the Tour of the North Orange Order parade in Belfast, which has largely passed off peacefully.

However, as it was passing the Ardoyne shops, golf balls and stones were thrown by nationalist protestors.

See: Agreement reached over contentious parade

(BMcC/KMcA)