Parades body upholds Derry decision

The commission has upheld its determination

The Parades Commission has decided not to change its original determination banning visiting Orangemen from parading on Londonderry's Cityside on 12 July.

The decision, released on Tuesday, followed a request by the order for a review of the determination.

The commission had considered submissions from the City of Londonderry Orange Lodge.

The Protestant Orange Order lodge had asked the commission to review its decision to ban most of the 12 July parade from the Cityside.

The commission ruled on Friday that only one lodge from the Fountain area of the city and a local band would be allowed to parade in the city side, but not near the Diamond.

Other lodges will be prevented from crossing Craigavon Bridge to parade round the city's war memorial.

Talks with residents refused

The commission made the ruling after the Orange Order refused to take part in talks with the Bogside Residents Group, which opposes the parade.

Thursday's parade by the Protestant Orange Order will be its first major demonstration in Derry for nine years.

The other main Orange Order 12 July demonstration site this year is Belfast.

In its ruling, the commission has said only Britannia Orange Lodge will be permitted to parade from the Fountain with its band to the Craigavon Bridge via Wapping Lane and joining with the main parade across the bridge.

Residents objected

The Britannia lodge will also be the only lodge permitted to return to the Fountain through the Cityside area on the parade's return.

The rest of the parade will be restricted to the Waterside.

The nationalist Bogside Residents Group objected to the Orange Order's application to the Orangemen's proposed parade route through the Diamond area.

Last month the residents said they had lodged their objections with the Parades Commission because the Orange Order would not talk to them about the parade.

It is Orange Order policy not to speak to residents' groups.

The Apprentice Boys of Derry loyal order, which holds annual parades in Derry in August and December, has made agreements with the residents on its parades in recent years.

Fermanagh protest called off

Meanwhile, following the Parades Commission's decision on a 12 July parade in Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, the residents' association has called off a planned protest.

This decision was taken following Sunday's Orange parade in the town, where strict guidelines were set down by the Parades Commission.

The residents' group said because the parade went off without any disruption they would not hold a protest.

The move came after the Orange Order's controversial parade at Drumcree in Portadown, County Armagh, passed off peacefully on Sunday.

Drumcree relatively quiet

A small number of petrol bombs were thrown at security forces and attempts were made to dismantle the large security fence on the bridge, preventing Orangemen from entering the nationalist Garvaghy Road.

Calm was restored by about 0200 BST on Monday.

The Order's parade has been barred from marching down the Garvaghy Road for the fourth consecutive year.