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Watch our coverage for the latest from Portadown published at 10:14 BST 27 September You can watch all the latest from Drumcree and Garvaghy Road on Sunday Politics Northern Ireland right now. There's reaction from Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant, who's at the Labour Party conference, as well as analysis from BBC News NI political editor Enda McClafferty. You can watch it live over on BBC One NI and on iPlayer .
Protest delays controversial march by more than two hours published at 10:11 BST 27 September Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Breandán Mac Cionnaith, from Garvaghy Residents' Association, stands on the front line of the protest on the Garvaghy Road. To bring you up to speed, here's a summary of the latest developments: The Orange Order was due to set off on its march from Drumcree Church, which would take it down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, at 08:00 However the parade has not set off yet and is delayed - the Garvaghy Road has been blocked by hundreds of protesters , while Orangemen who have gathered at Drumcree, a mile away, have said they will wait until police advise them the road is clear Police have called on protesters to disperse but there is no indication that will happen Sinn Féin leaders, including First Minister Michelle O'Neill, are among the protesters at Garvaghy Road, with O'Neill saying the dispute "brings into question how the peace process works" However, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Carla Lockhart has criticised O'Neill for "whipping up hysteria" Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant is travelling to Belfast from the Labour Party conference, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appealed for calm Secretary of state to travel to Northern Ireland published at 09:59 BST 27 September Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant says he's cutting short his attendance at the Labour Party conference to return to Northern Ireland, adding that he's taking the situation "very, very seriously". He says a court decided that the Parades Commission determination stood, adding that "it's important that everybody abides by the law".
Speaking to BBC News NI at the conference in Liverpool, he urges calm and says any protest is "unlawful" and police have "made that clear to people". "I would urge people to cooperate with the police. I would say that on both sides incidentally." He says it's "primarily a policing matter" and he can only act if asked to by the chief constable and he "hasn't asked me to do so". 'It brings into question how the peace process works' - O'Neill published at 09:55 BST 27 September Image source, Getty Images Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who is among the protesters on Garvaghy Road, says the reignition of the Drumcree dispute “brings into question how this whole peace process works”.
Read more about the history of the parade row here Some in the crowd blocking the Garvaghy Road this morning have been heard shouting “bring Stormont down”. O'Neill says there are those in "Orange Order and those within political unionism that want to drag us backwards". Stormont - Northern Ireland's devolved government - has existed for almost 30 years as a power-sharing arrangement between the largest nationalist and unionist parties.
It has collapsed several times over the decades when one side or the other has withdrawn from government. The last time it happened was February 2022 . It took around two years for the institutions to be up and running again.
Asked if power-sharing could collapse, O'Neill says: “You heard it about the people’s view of Stormont. You heard it about the terms of politics working for them, and you hear it here time and time again and we’ve certainly heard it over the last 24 hours. “What’s the point?
What’s the point whenever people are going to railroad over their rights? Whenever they’re going to try to roll back in 28 years of progress? “But I can tell you what we’re about.
We’re about the future. We’re about building on our peace and progress. We’re about not allowing people to bring us back.” Protesters opposing Orange Order march link arms to block route published at 09:44 BST 27 September Michael Fitzpatrick Reporting from Garvaghy Road Image caption, The crowd of protesters on the Garvaghy Road linking arms A large crowd, many of whom are linking arms, is still on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown.
People who are standing along the side of the road are being urged to move to the centre of the crowd. The People Before Profit (PBP) assembly member, Gerry Carroll, has joined other politicians at the gathering. The Orange Order are still at a hall at Drumcree Church - the start of their planned route, about a mile away - awaiting further instruction from the police.
The parade was due to set off almost two hours ago. Prime Minster Andy Burnham appeals for calm published at 09:37 BST 27 September The Prime Minister says he spoke to Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant this morning, and Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin yesterday. "I know it's a tense situation and we appeal for calm on all sides," Andy Burnham tells BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
"There have been big gains made in Northern Ireland and we don't want to see things go backwards." See sense and stop it, says SDLP leader published at 09:23 BST 27 September Claire Hanna, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - Northern Ireland's second largest nationalist party - has also arrived on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. In a social media post on X, she says she's “standing in solidarity with local residents”. “Allowing this parade to proceed violates the rights of people who live here.
They must see sense and stop it.” Loyalist campaigner says first minister is illegally blocking road published at 09:17 BST 27 September Image caption, Activist Jamie Bryson (left) and DUP's Jonathan Buckley outside Drumcree Church Today's story is centred on two locations in Portadown - the Garvaghy Road, where protesters have blocked the road; and Drumcree Church, a mile to the west, where Orangemen and supporters are waiting for the go-ahead to march. Unionist politicians and campaigners are also at Drumcree Church. One activist, Jamie Bryson, criticises the "so-called first minister for all" for "illegally blocking" Garvaghy Road.
Bryson says "there are now serious questions for Sinn Féin about their commitment to the law". Jonathan Buckley, of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), says "the court had its say" and "the law shall prevail". "For 28 years, Sinn Féin and Garvaghy Road residents have told Portadown district (Orange Order) and the wider unionist community that the Parades Commission has reached its determination.
People should abide by the law," he says. Symbols, territory and identity still matter in Northern Ireland published at 09:12 BST 27 September Chris Page Ireland correspondent, on the Garvaghy Road The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein are in the power-sharing devolved government at Stormont. They are the two biggest parties; in effect they run Northern Ireland together.
But this issue has certainly laid bare the political divisions that still exist here; Sinn Féin and the DUP see this issue in completely different terms. Northern Ireland is still a place where symbols, territory and identity really matter. There's really no meeting of minds on this - save for First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly both calling for calm.
Protesters continue to block Garvaghy Road as march waits for go-ahead published at 08:58 BST 27 September Image source, Reuters Image caption, Sinn Fein leaders have joined the protesters in Portadown as they call for the march to be halted Image source, Reuters Image caption, The controversial march has not been allowed to take place since 1997, but the Parades Commission ruled on Friday that it could go ahead Irish government says it's 'very concerned' about Garvaghy situation published at 08:55 BST 27 September We've just been sent a statement from the Irish government. "The government is monitoring the situation on the ground closely and will remain in contact with key interlocutors, including the Garvaghy Road residents," it reads. "The government is very concerned about the situation.
"Our primary concern remains to avoid a return to the divisions of the past, recalling the significant progress made over many years in furthering reconciliation under the Good Friday Agreement." Sinn Féin's comments 'outrageous', says DUP MP published at 08:49 BST 27 September Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Carla Lockhart says First Minister Michelle O'Neill is "whipping up hysteria" at the protest blocking Garvaghy Road. She calls O'Neill's comments "outrageous" and the protesters a "rabble". O'Neill, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald and other nationalist politicians are currently part of the protest.
"The law is on our side," Lockhart, MP for the Portadown area, says. "They're afraid of 35 men, walking down a road silently." We stand with this community, say Sinn Féin leaders published at 08:46 BST 27 September Media caption, Mary Lou McDonald (right) and Michelle O'Neill speaking to media on the Garvaghy Road Police have big decisions to make in 'no-win' situation published at 08:41 BST 27 September Mark Simpson Reporting from Drumcree Church Orangemen in Portadown are content, at this stage, to wait until the Garvaghy Road is clear. Rather than postpone their parade, they are waiting in a hall at Drumcree Church for the go-ahead to march.
As things stand, that seems impossible. And it is unlikely to change in the coming hours. In the 1990s, when Orangemen were prevented from marching, a long stand-off developed.
Thousands of supporters gathered at Drumcree. This morning, the 35 Orangemen are waiting alone and have not called for support on the ground. Another difference from the 1990s is the weather.
It is cold and wet. The Drumcree disputes 30 years ago were always at the height of summer in July. There are big decisions to make for the police to make in the coming hours.
One officer said in Portadown this morning “it’s a no-win situation, whatever we do”. Orangemen 'to wait for police direction' published at 08:36 BST 27 September The Orange Order's Portadown District Master Nigel Dawson has been speaking to the media outside a hall at Drumcree Church, where they have been waiting out of the rain. He says those gathered are waiting for police to tell them the Garvaghy Road, which is currently blocked by protesters, is ready for them to march down.
"The position of the district is clear; we will abide by the police direction at all times throughout the course of today." Sinn Féin push for Westminster to block controversial parade published at 08:32 BST 27 September Enda McClafferty BBC News NI political editor Image source, Reuters Image caption, Mary Lou McDonald (centre), with Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill to the left, speaking to media on the Garvaghy Road With the legal avenue to stop the march having been exhausted in the early hours of this morning, Sinn Féin is pushing for some last-minute political intervention. They’ve called on Secretary of State Chris Bryant to use his powers to ban the parade but there is no sign that's going to happen. He can act if the police ask him to review the determination to prevent serious public disorder.
As yet, there has been no such request. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s top team are on the Garvaghy Road - the centre of the row that has seen protestors block it and therefore stall the start of the controversial Orange Order march. They’ve vowed to stand with the mainly nationalist residents on the road, despite the political consequences of taking part in what is an illegal protest.
Some, including First Minister Michelle O'Neill, will be accused of breaching the ministerial code but it is clear that is not a priority for the party right now. Orangemen yet to set of from start of parade route published at 08:29 BST 27 September Darran Marshall Reporting from Drumcree Church I'm standing at Drumcree Church, where the Orangemen have been gathering. There's a police presence here.
It's raining heavily. We can hear police announcements from the Garvaghy Road, which is about one mile away. Each one is met by jeers from the crowd.
We can hear the crowd singing. Orangemen wait to begin march as protesters block road published at 08:27 BST 27 September Image source, Reuters It's nearly 08:30 in Portadown, County Armagh. The controversial Orange Order march was due to begin half an hour ago, but it's yet to get under way.
Here's the latest: A group of 30 Orangemen been told by police that their route is blocked, with a large gathering of protesters standing along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road Among the protesters are Sinn Féin and SDLP politicians - Sinn Féin leaders are calling for the march to be called off and for Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant to intervene "There must be no march through this community," Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said as she stood with protesters this morning But Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) says "there is no violence or threat from the Orange Order" and has called for the parade to proceed The stand-off this morning follows two days of legal drama in Belfast's courts - here's a timeline of events What is the Orange Order? published at 08:24 BST 27 September Image source, Getty Images The Orange Order's planned parade is set to begin. But what is it and why does today matter? The Orange Order is a fraternal organisation that derives its name from William of Orange - the Protestant Dutchman who seized the throne from Catholic King James II back in the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688.
Two years later, 'King Billy' saw off James for good at the Battle of the Boyne, a moment the Orange Order celebrate annually during 12 July celebrations . The 12 July is the biggest day of Northern Ireland's marching season , celebrated by the Orange Order every year from April to August, when Orangemen march to commemorate William's victory. Most lodges march with a band, and the distinctive ceremonial outfits of Orangemen include suit and tie, bowler hats, orange sashes and white gloves.
For many Catholics, these marches are considered triumphalist and sectarian, with some traditional Orange routes passing through or by staunchly Catholic and nationalist areas. Of all the routes, the Garvaghy Road route is perhaps the most contentious of all. Read more here.
There must be no march, says Sinn Féin president published at 08:17 BST 27 September Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has joined protestors blocking the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, along with party colleague First Minister Michelle O'Neill. McDonald is the party's leader across the island of Ireland, while O'Neill leads Northern Ireland's devolved government as first minister. "There must be no march through this community.
That is how we restore calm, that is how we restore confidence," says O'Neill. "This is primitive stuff in the year 2026." O'Neill asks: "Why after 28 years of determination to block a march down this road that the Parades Commission thought this was the right idea today? To bring this mess back onto this community." "I commend this community.
We stand with this community and we will continue to stand with this community."
Source: bbc.com
