Garvaghy Road: Situation On The Ground Tonight

The situation is currently very tense and fast moving, the last of our people are travelling, having faced exceedingly long delays and are expected to arrive shortly. Locals on the Garvaghy Road are receiving people coming to support them with great hospitality and kindness. It has been 28 years since the orange Order on the Garvaghy Road. The halting of marches in Catholic areas was a major part of the peace process. Between 1996 and 1999 21 people were killed in relation to the Drumcree Orange March. 

 In the climate where UK prime minister Andy Burnham has categorically ruled out a united Ireland and recent months have seen anti migrant rioting and those riots turning to attack Catholics, as well as the PSNI protecting Loyalist bonfires while tearing down Republican bonfires later in the summer, all eyes should be on Portadown, and the continued British establishment attacks on the peace process. The question also needs to be asked, what is all this in aid of? Why now?

Tailbacks Coming into Portadown

Key points

•  In the early afternoon it was reported to us by locals that the helicopters and water cannons had arrived.
•  Reinforcements to the PSNI have been brought in from England and Scotland. 
•   A temporary injunction was granted following an urgent legal challenge by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, Justice Patricia Smyth stated that “long running dispute has the potential to escalate across northern Ireland”. This has just been overturned. 
• The tense hearing which lasted 5 hours and inspired the judge to ask all parties to “step back from the abyss” also revealed that residents had applied to hold a counter protest of 5,000 people.
• This has reputedly been limited to 300, however our current reports from the ground would indicate that there are far more people than that already on the scene, some of whom travelled from the south and plan to stay overnight.
• The Orange Order have reputedly appealed at around 6:10PM and reputedly the appeal is to be heard shortly. It is speculated to be heard around 9:30 PM and the decision was expected around 10:30pm. 
• At 11:45pm we received the news that the earlier injunction was overturned and the Orange Order march was given the go ahead on appeal. 
•   It was earlier reported that people travelling via train from the republic were being turned back, however it appears that if this was the case earlier that this is no longer the case as some have since arrived via Connoly Station however all transport methods are badly delayed, some for hours.  Aontacht reporters that left this evening are still travelling 

Key Information:

• People travelling from the republic are being accommodated in the community centre and in the nearby GAA club for camping as well as within the community.
• There are diversions and roadblocks on the northern side of the border in key locations, however there are safe routes.
• It is not however as difficult as you would expect but delays are lengthy. 
• Takeaways are running short of food so people who are travelling are advised to eat beforehand. 

Recent developments:

• At around 8:30pm it was reported that the orange order band could be heard playing/practicing some distance away in the direction of the town centre.
•  The reputed “1,000 man march” a show of force in support of the Orange Order just finished and according to people reporting from the ground only reached about 60 people. 
• Sources on the ground also say that PSNI landrovers are assembling towards the back of the town. 
• As we type our sources were in urgent contact to say that the call went out to assemble on “the road”. 
• Community leaders have called for peace and for people to video the blockade to protect people. 

Photo credits for this article to ByeBye Corrupt TDs