Commission restricts parade

Only the lodges will be allowed to walk back

The Parades Commission has decided to restrict the return route of the annual Twelfth of July parade in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.

Only the lodges will be allowed to walk back in the evening.

In its determination, the Commission made it clear that it was up to the two communities themselves to have a peaceful parade.

Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly criticised the decision by the Parades Commission.

"This is absolutely the wrong decision. The Orange Order time and time again have clearly broken the restrictions placed upon it by the Commission, yet the very same Commission fails to sanction them," he said.

"People are now asking is this body just there to legitimise sectarian marches?

"Despite last year's disgraceful triumphalism, with senior UDA members leading the march, and UVF and UDA flags clearly on display, the residents who objected to this march, protested peacefully and presented well documented evidence of these breaches have been completely ignored."

'Both communities'

On Sunday, the area surrounding the annual Orange Order parade at Drumcree in County Armagh returned to normal after the march passed off peacefully.

Within an hour of the parade finishing, the security forces began to dismantle the security operation and finished it later that night.

The police praised the efforts made by members of both communities to reduce tension and maintain calm.

Hundreds of Orangemen took part in the march, which was again banned by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission from passing down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown.

The dispute centres on the desire by Protestant Orangemen to march along Garvaghy Road on their way back from a church service, against residents' wishes.

Following the service, Orangemen walked to the police barrier which prevented them from progressing further down the road, and made a verbal protest at the ban.

They then turned back up the hill towards Drumcree Church before dispersing.

The Parades Commission was set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether controversial parades should be restricted.