Protesters disperse after blocking controversial Orange Order parade
Published27 September 2026
Spots 
Hundreds of protesters blocked a road in Portadown
Hundreds of protesters blocked a road in Portadown on Sunday after a contentious Orange Order parade was given late-night clearance to march down it for the first time in almost 30 years.
Following a series of legal challenges, a ruling
Following a series of legal challenges, a ruling by the Parades Commission permitting the Drumcree parade down the mainly-nationalist Garvaghy Road was upheld in an "unprecedented" sitting of the High Court in Belfast.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill joined the
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill joined the protesters, while members of the Orange Order and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians gathered about a mile away, waiting for the road to clear. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said O'Neill was breaking the law by protesting. He said the first minister had "broken her pledge of office".
"It is shameful that we see on the
"It is shameful that we see on the streets of Portadown, a first minister, a collection of ministers and series of elected representatives who are participating in an unlawful protest, who are blocking the road and who are giving two fingers to the police, the courts and the rule of law," Robinson added. Sinn Féin has been contacted for comment.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant, who returned
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant, who returned from the Labour Party conference for talks, urged both sides to "double down on compromise" and said "nobody should be attending an unlawful protest", but he added it was not his job "to decide whether somebody has or hasn't broken the law". 'We aren't going back', says residents' coalition
Addressing protesters as they cleared the area on
Addressing protesters as they cleared the area on Sunday night, Breandán Mac Cionnaith from the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition said he would be meeting the chief constable and Northern Ireland Secretary on Monday. "The last 48 have been a long 48 hours for everybody," he said. "We said they weren't getting down and we stopped them getting down." Having "stopped them once", Mac Cionnaith said the process now "is to make sure we stop them permanently".
Residents are "not going in to deals", and
Residents are "not going in to deals", and they "aren't going back", he said but warned the dispute is going to "drag on for a while". 'We haven't got a solution yet'
Sir Chris met politicians from the DUP, the
Sir Chris met politicians from the DUP, the Alliance Party, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in relation to the Drumcree dispute on Sunday evening, but Sinn Féin said, while they had agreed to meet, the form did not suit the secretary of state. Sir Chris said he had been in discussions with Michelle O'Neill on Sunday evening in relation to the dispute.
On Sunday night, Sir Chris responded to the
On Sunday night, Sir Chris responded to the SDLP's call for an international mediator in relation to the dispute, and said he is "giving consideration to anything that anybody comes up with".
News
Protesters disperse after blocking controversial Orange Order parade
Published27 September 2026
@spots
Source: BBC News