Apprentice Boys end march protest

Apprentice boys are stopped by the police

A standoff between the police and members of the Protestant Apprentice Boys has ended in North Befast. The protest, which had been on-going since the morning was over restrictions imposed on their parade.

The members of the Ligoniel Walker club ended their protest shortly after 1500 BST and marched back to Ligioniel Orange hall where they then dispersed.

A spokesman said they were frustrated at not being allowed to proceed and would be seeking legal advice about the situation on Monday.

The Apprentice Boys march had been stopped from passing near a nationalist area.

The marchers walked from Ligoniel Orange Hall, down the Crumlin Road, before being stopped at a police and army cordon at the junction with Hesketh Road.

The Parades Commission had ruled that the marchers should not be allowed to parade past the nationalist area, which is fronted by the Ardoyne shops.

The Apprentice Boys had asked to go past in a bus, but were prevented from doing so.

Protest

Earlier Tommy Cheevers, a spokesman for the Apprentice Boys, said they were taking legal advice about the decision to prevent them from travelling by bus past the shops.

Tommy Cheevers and the RUC discuss the situation

North Belfast Progressive Unionist Party assembly member Billy Hutchinson said he had telephoned the RUC chief constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, about the situation.

"The Protestant community is being told they can't walk down a main road or get bussed down it. I think it's ridiculous," he said.

About 100 people were involved in the protest.

The leadership of the Apprentice Boys of Derry has called for a peaceful day.

Some members of the Apprentice Boys have vowed to stay at police lines rather than leave to join the main parade in Londonderry.

The protest is close to the scene of sectarian riots which took place last month.

There has been widespread trouble in north Belfast over recent weeks, with several police officers injured in clashes with nationalist and loyalist rioters.