Agreement reached over contentious parade

An agreement has been reached between rival factions over a highly controversial parade due to take place in north Belfast on Friday.

Talks between loyalist and nationalist groups over the Tour of the North Orange parade, prompted the Parades Commission to hold back from making a ruling on the main parade or any of its feeder parades.

The Commission said it had heard from a joint delegation representing the loyalist North and West Belfast Parades Forum and the nationalist Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Group regarding the outcome of discussions facilitated by the commission.

In recent years, the parade has sparked trouble between Orangemen and Nationalist residents, which has continued into the following weeks.

During last year's Tour of the North, 18 police officers and 11 others were injured after disturbances flared as three lodges, followed by supporters, went past Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road on the return leg of their parade.

Missiles were thrown by nationalist protesters and there were clashes between police and protesters.

This year, the Orangemen have agreed to limitations on a contentious part of the return leg of the parade while residents will stage a smaller protest.

The return parade will proceed down the same route as normal but will consist of only one band, a single banner and representatives only of the constituent lodges.

Music will not be played along the contentious part.

Commission chairman Roger Poole said he was pleased with the progress which had been made in the discussions and the emergence of an accommodation between the two sides in respect of the feeder parades associated with the Tour of the North parade.

Mr Poole said: "We acknowledge that the discussions are at a very early stage and that the whole question of parades in north Belfast requires a long term and sustainable solution."

But he said: "Both sides in the area have committed their organisations to a prolonged process of dialogue which will continue into this summer and beyond. This is a significant commitment which the commission welcomes."

He concluded by saying that what had been agreed in advance of Friday is the beginning of a process rather than a conclusion.

Last year, the Parades Commission postponed the contentious Whiterock Parade. However, when the parade was eventually granted permission to pass through the Whiterock area, it triggered off some of the worst street violence experienced in the province in recent years.

(EF/SP)