Human rights groups signal concern about Orange marches

Two US organisations focusing on human rights in Ireland have expressed concern about the potential for violence at Orange Order marches this summer.

The Irish Parades Emergency Committee and the Brehon Law Society said that in the past, police have failed to enforce Parades Commission guidelines for loyalist marches, including a ban on paramilitary flags.

The groups also expressed concern about the use of force by police in dealing with nationalist residents opposed to the marches and said police officers have regularly broken the law by covering their identification numbers at parades.