Security search at Drumcree

Drumcree hill protest: Quieter than previous years

Police and troops have mounted a search operation in the fields surrounding Drumcree parish church following another relatively quiet night in Portadown.

They moved in at about 0100 BST on Tuesday after protesters calling for an Orange Order parade to be allowed down the Garvaghy Road had left the hill.

The search ended at about an hour later and it is not known if anything was found.

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

The Order wants to use the route on its return journey from a Somme Commemoration service at Drumcree church but the march is opposed by nationalist residents.

On Monday night a small number of petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown at police and army lines.

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The crowd of protesters was smaller than on Sunday night - numbering around 300 at the protest's height.

The crowd began drifting away from Drumcree hill at about 2330 BST.

Chief constable praises order

On Monday RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan paid tribute to the Orange Order for its appeals for calm over the Drumcree dispute.

On Sunday night a crowd of about 400 loyalist protesters threw petrol bombs at security forces several hours after the annual church parade had passed off peacefully on Sunday.

A huge steel and concrete security barrier had been put in place to prevent the Orangemen from proceeding down the Garvaghy Road.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Monday, Sir Ronnie attributed the relative calm to a variety of factors.

He said these included "the very responsible attitude taken by the Orange Order".

Sir Ronnie Flanagan: "Orange Order took a responsible attitude"

"Whatever is the intended way forward, whatever is the means of bringing about a solution, one thing is absolutely certain: force of numbers, violence, is counter-productive," he said.

Sir Ronnie said Northern Ireland was in "a much better position than we have seen in previous years" during the Drumcree period.

Meanwhile, Portadown District spokesman David Jones denied the Orange Order was divided over tactics.

"Our resolve now to walk the Garvaghy Road is as strong as it ever has been," he said.

"We wouldn't have that resolve if we didn't think that was possible."

David Jones: "Order is not divided"

Mr Jones also criticised the stance of Garvaghy Road residents opposed to the march.

"We haven't spoken directly to the Garvaghy Road residents because quite simply during all the proximity talks, in which we were involved, there has never been any sign or any movement to make that at all possible," he said.

Last year, province-wide protests in support of the Orangemen led to widespread disruption as roads were blocked and loyalist rioting marked several nights of violence.

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