Portadown: Rallies take place on Garvaghy Road and Edgarstown over Drumcree dispute
Tensions have escalated in Portadown as opposing groups held rallies regarding the long-standing Drumcree parade dispute. Police have warned that blocking the Garvaghy Road will be treated as an illegal protest, while political leaders remain divided on the path forward.
Why it matters
The Drumcree dispute is a flashpoint for sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland, highlighting the ongoing challenges of maintaining peace and managing public order in the region.
Image source, Aodhán Roberts Image caption, Crowds gathered at the Garvaghy Road to support local residents on Saturday
Rallies were held on both sides of the Drumcree parade dispute on Saturday as the stand-off between Garvaghy Road residents and the Portadown District Orange Lodge continues.
Addressing thousands of people at an event on the Garvaghy Road, First Minister and Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O'Neill said she heard the Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant "talk about being between a rock and a hard place", adding she has "never heard such nonsense, this is between right and wrong".
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said anyone blocking the Garvaghy Road will be "treated as participating in an unnotified and therefore illegal protest and that anyone "found to have broken the law will face criminal justice consequences".
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