Drumcree: Legal bid to overturn march ban fails
Speaking after the rulling, Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “The position we took in relation to this Orange march was fully justified. All we sought was the right that was promised under the Good Friday Agreement, the right to live free from sectarian harassment.”
“That right has been vindicated and upheld today – there is no getting away from it.”
Solicitor Darragh Mackin said “no amount of spin will change the legal reality” of the ruling.
He praised the residents for conducting themselves “impeccably” throughout the legal proceedings.
“We now look forward to drawing a line on this horrendous chapter and moving forward,” he said.
Speaking outside court, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said the case had been “difficult” but there were “some very important comments” from the judge.
“What has been established in court today can be summarised very simply. The Portadown District established a legal right to walk the Garvaghy Road,” he said.
“The Chief Constable’s ultimate position was he could not protect 35 Orangemen against the risk of disorder. That is a very, very serious finding indeed.”
Before the parade was banned, the chief constable had written to Sir Chris stating: “The PSNI’s current assessment is that all available, lawful and proportionate options to facilitate completion of the procession have been exhausted.
“Any remaining options would require a substantial public order intervention and this is not assessed to be proportionate, and which would carry an unacceptable risk of serious injury, disorder and a wider contagion affect across Northern Ireland.”
Last week, the court heard PSNI intelligence information that dissidents may have mounted gun attacks on the police had officers cleared a path for the parade.
