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North Belfast: Orange Order parade passes off peacefully | North Belfast: Orange Order parade passes off peacefully |
(about 3 hours later) | |
One of the most contentious parading disputes in Northern Ireland in recent years has ended. | |
The Ligoniel Orange Order lodges marched past the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast early on Saturday morning. | |
Loyalists have now dismantled their protest camp at Twaddell Avenue. It was set up in July 2013 after the Parades Commission ruled that Orangemen could not walk along the route. | |
600 police officers were involved in Saturday's security operation. | 600 police officers were involved in Saturday's security operation. |
Agreement | Agreement |
The Orange Order was allowed to march along the route after an agreement between Orangemen and nationalist residents' association, the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA). | The Orange Order was allowed to march along the route after an agreement between Orangemen and nationalist residents' association, the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA). |
The Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, said Saturday's parade sent a "strong signal that dialogue can work". | |
"It provides a platform of co-operation on which all involved will be able to build," he added. | |
Several dozen protesters from the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC), who reject the deal, gathered at the Ardoyne shops as the parade got underway. | Several dozen protesters from the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC), who reject the deal, gathered at the Ardoyne shops as the parade got underway. |
At one point, Belfast priest, Fr Gary Donegan, who backed the deal that led to the parade taking place, was confronted by a small crowd of angry protesters. | |
'New beginning' | |
They accused him of taking sides with Sinn Féin and the Orange Order against a majority of residents. | |
In response, Fr Donegan said: "The reality is, if I have to take a bit of stick for standing up for what I believe is the right decision, then I have always taken it in the neck. | |
"This was never going to be a situation where everybody was going to be happy or content, but if it means that the people who were actually parading got by and it's over, and we have a new beginning, then it's well and good." | |
"Nobody has cowered me before and nobody will do it again," added Fr Donegan. | |
The protesters also chanted "walk of shame", but dispersed peacefully after the march passed. | |
GARC also held protest against the parade on Friday evening which passed off without incident. More than 200 people took part. |