Crowds have gathered in Portadown on Sunday morning at the scene of a notorious Troubles flashpoint.
A ruling by the Parades Commission permitting the Orange Order to march on Garvaghy Road was upheld in an “unprecedented” late night sitting of the High Court in Belfast overnight.
The crowds, many of them wearing balaclavas, clustered in large groups along Garvaghy Road in the hours leading up to the scheduled start of the parade at 8am.
The march was finally given the go ahead at a hearing which concluded at 2.15am on Sunday after legal teams repeated their arguments over the contentious parade.
The time-limited sitting beginning at 12.20am on Sunday was heard before Justice Michael Humphreys.
He acknowledged the “unusual if not unprecedented circumstances as it is now 1.45am, with a parade scheduled to begin in just over six hours’ time”.
Outlining his decision, Mr Justice Humphreys cited case law that as a public body the courts must respect its judgment and “their decisions will not be lightly interfered with”.
Around five minutes before the parade was due to start, a huge number of fireworks were set off near Garvaghy Road.
Crowds started to gather for the controversial march
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REUTERS
The road was a notorious flashpoint during the Troubles
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PA
Campaigners had demanded the march be rerouted
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PA
Loud cheers erupted from the crowds on Garvaghy Road after being informed the Orange Order had left Drumcree.
The cheers were soon followed by chants of “Bring Stormont down” from some of the protesters.
Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road opposed to the parade passing through the area, leading to violent clashes for several summers and political tension necessitating a major security operation.
The Orange Order has unsuccessfully applied for more than a quarter of a century to complete its 1998 walk along its traditional route.
People blocked the Garvaghy road, a Catholic enclave in the largely Protestant town of Portadown
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REUTERS
On Friday, the commission reversed its long-running determination, to the welcome of unionist parties and outrage of nationalist and republican parties.
Mary Lou McDonald, leader of Sinn Féin, was seen speaking to reporters this morning as the march set off.
More to follow…
