Police Block Orange Order from Controversial Parade Route
BBC News NI
By Claire Graham
On 28 September 2026, police prevented an early morning attempt by the Orange Order to march down a controversial route in Portadown, Northern Ireland.
A group of men attempted to parade from Drumcree Church to Garvaghy Road, a mainly nationalist area, but a line of police Land Rovers blocked their path.
The Orange Order had been unable to complete their permitted parade on Sunday morning due to protests on Garvaghy Road. The standoff continued throughout Sunday, with Orangemen waiting at the church for police clearance.
Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O'Neill joined the protest, leading to accusations from Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson of illegal action.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant called for "compromise."
Breandán Mac Cionnaith, from the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, scheduled meetings with the secretary of state and chief constable on Monday, promising not to prejudge the outcome.
Nigel Dawson, Orange Order's Portadown district master, expressed frustration, stating they had a legal right to parade down Garvaghy Road and that police should facilitate their route.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart, who returned to Drumcree early Monday, criticized the Police Service of Northern Ireland's chief constable, suggesting he needed to take control of the situation.
The Drumcree parade, a source of significant unrest in the 1990s, was set to proceed for the first time in 30 years after legal challenges.
The Orange Order, a Protestant pro-British organization, sought to complete a route that passes through a predominantly Catholic and nationalist area.
What unfolded on Sunday?
Protesters began gathering on Garvaghy Road early Sunday and remained until midnight. Police maintained a buffer zone between protesters and Orangemen throughout the day.
Orangemen attempted to march several times but were blocked by police vehicles. They were warned for exceeding the Parade Commission's limit of 35 people, but loyalists argued they hadn't requested a large crowd.
Just before 4:00 AM BST, a group of Orangemen tried to proceed again, leading to the police intervention.