Belfast Orange parade banned

Orangemen today condemned restrictions imposed on a controversial parade in a flashpoint area of west Belfast.

Dawson Bailie criticised a Parades Commission ban on the Whiterock Parade marching along an avenue close to a nationalist area on the other side of the peaceline.

Trouble has flared between loyalist and republican mobs in the past few years and last year a paramilitary colour party twice joined the parade.

Mr Bailie said that the Orange Order would not take the latest decision lying down.

"I don’t know what there will be but you can only let yourselves get kicked in the teeth so many times," he said.

"For the Parades Commission to turn around and ban an Orange Parade down Ainsworth Avenue, a 100% Protestant street, is absolutely ridiculous."

Paramilitary displays are against the Commission’s code of conduct but Mr Bailie insisted that the Order had twice removed them from the parade.

Two feeder parades will not be allowed past the shops at the front of Ardoyne Road, the scene of bitter sectarian violence over the past week.

Two weeks ago, nationalist protesters attacked a loyalist feeder parade with missiles as it marched past to join the main Tour of the North march.

Meanwhile, nationalist residents in Derry said they would not be opposing a loyalist parade in the city in August.

The move came as representatives of the Royal Black Preceptory held discussions with the nationalist Bogside Residents Group.

Bogside Residents spokesman Donncha McNiallis said they would not be holding a counter demonstration on August 25.

"There is a degree of sensitivity around this and we should bear in mind we are saying quite clearly there will be no opposition to this parade."

DUP Assembly member William Hay, who was part of the Royal Black delegation, said the organisation had not entered negotiations with the residents.

"But I think there is a better understanding now over where the Royal Black institution is coming from."

Garvan O’Doherty, of the City Centre Initiative which organised the talks, called on the Orange Order to engage in similar discussions throughout Northern Ireland.

"The people of Northern Ireland are fed up with the marching issue and they want to see it put to bed," he added.