A court in Northern Ireland has allowed the Protestant Orange Order to march through a mainly Catholic area of Portadown for the first time in nearly 30 years, reviving memories of the tensions and violence surrounding the Drumcree marches during the Troubles. The march has been restricted to 35 participants and a banner, but hundreds of Catholic residents have gathered to oppose it, creating a major challenge for police trying to clear the route. Mark Davenport, a journalist and former BBC Northern Ireland political editor, told Al Jazeera that the return of the Drumcree march is surprising given the violence associated with previous parades, including the deaths of three children in an arson attack. He said the current dispute followed successful legal action by the Orange Order that overturned the previous ban on the march. Davenport said the heavy police presence has also evoked memories of Northern Ireland’s conflict period. He warned that while Orange Order members view the march as a traditional one-off return, Catholic residents and Sinn Fein politicians fear it could set a precedent for larger marches in future.
Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile
#OrangeOrder #Portadown #Drumcree #GarvaghyRoad #NorthernIreland #Troubles #SinnFein #CatholicResidents #Protestant #ParadesCommission #NorthernIrelandPolitics #Belfast #AlJazeeraEnglish
