US Congress members call for stop to Drumcree march
US Congressman Richard Neal and other members of the Friends of Ireland Caucus are urging the UK government to cancel a planned Orange Order march in Portadown. They argue the parade is provocative and threatens the stability established by the Good Friday Agreement.
Why it matters
The intervention of US lawmakers in Northern Irish affairs underscores the international sensitivity surrounding the peace process and sectarian tensions.
US Representative Richard Neal has described the planned Orange Order march along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown as "provocative".
In an interview with RTÉ News, Rep Neal said he is urging the Northern Ireland Secretary to cancel the parade.
"It is needlessly provocative at a time when we thought many of these issues had been put to bed, including the 28-year interval in which this had not been a flashpoint, and this is a moment of contention for the nationalist community," the Democratic Congressman for Massachusetts's 1st congressional district said.
"In years past, many years past, it had been a symbol of triumphalism. And I thought that the success that we had have with the Good Friday Agreement would have again put many of these issues to rest," he said.
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