Northern Ireland first minister Michelle O’Neill receives police letter over Drumcree protest

First Minister Michelle O’Neill, centre, vowed to co-operate with the PSNI investigation. Picture: PA

Northern Ireland's first minister Michelle O’Neill has said she will “co-operate” with a police investigation after she received a letter from the PSNI probing alleged criminal offences relating to her involvement in a protest against an Orange Order parade on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown.

Ms O’Neill said on Friday she has received a letter inviting her for a police interview in relation to the protest in Co Armagh.

“I will co-operate with the investigation,” she said in a statement.

“For the last two weeks, I have stood in solidarity with the Garvaghy Road residents as attempts were made to force an unwanted Orange march through their community.

“I will continue to stand with the Garvaghy Road residents who should be allowed to live in peace and free from sectarian intimidation.

“Because it is always right to stand up for what is right.

“And there can be no going back.”

Sinn Féin colleagues Conor Murphy, John O’Dowd and Gerry Kelly have also received contact from the PSNI.

It came after, during a visit to the Garvaghy Road, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald again called on Britain's Northern Ireland secretary Chris Bryant to act to bring the 13-day Drumcree stand-off to an end.

The PSNI said on Thursday that individuals “reasonably suspected of committing offences” would receive letters for interview.

It relates to alleged breaches of a Parades Commission decision to allow an Orange Order parade to complete its traditional route from Drumcree Church down the Garvaghy Road for the first time for almost 30 years.

The parade has been unable to take place because of significant numbers opposed to the decision attending protests on the Garvaghy Road.

Unionists have criticised the First Minister and other Sinn Féin ministers for having been in the area of the Garvaghy Road during the impasse.

Ms O’Neill is facing a motion of no confidence when the Northern Ireland Assembly sits on Monday.

A number of senior Sinn Féin figures visited the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road again on Friday.

Ms O’Neill and Ms McDonald were accompanied by Mr Murphy, Mr O’Dowd, Stormont’s finance minister and Mr Kelly, who have all received correspondence.

Ms McDonald pointed out the length of the impasse and said Mr Bryant must now take action to bring the crisis to an end.

She said: “It has been our expectation, it was our wish from the get-go, that the Secretary of State will intervene, and we’re calling on him again to do exactly that.

“No further time should be wasted, we need to bring clarity, we need to bring finality.

“It needs to be clear that this Orange march is now definitively off the table, so that this community can breathe easy again and return to their normal lives.

“The very idea of leaving a vacuum like this is irresponsible, to say the least of it.

“The Secretary of State has to intervene, must intervene, and we urge him again at the earliest opportunity to do exactly that.”

Meanwhile, around 100 people staged a picket outside the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) in central Belfast.

They held placards and chanted “no going back” in both in English and Irish. Demonstrators also blew whistles continuously for 60 seconds.

Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey addressed the crowd on a loudhailer.

“We’re bringing a message directly to the NIO and the British Government that there is no going back,” she said.

“The British Secretary of State Chris Bryant has the power to ban this parade and today he must do the right thing and he must ban this parade.”

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood also visited the Garvaghy Road on Friday. He urged anyone who received letters from police “not to worry”.