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| Parades Commission to rule on north Belfast march plan | Parades Commission to rule on north Belfast march plan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Parades Commission is to issue a ruling later on a proposed Orange Order parade in north Belfast on Saturday, that would pass a sectarian flashpoint. | The Parades Commission is to issue a ruling later on a proposed Orange Order parade in north Belfast on Saturday, that would pass a sectarian flashpoint. |
| On Wednesday, the Orange Order applied for permission for a new march, from the loyalist Shankill area to Ligoniel. | On Wednesday, the Orange Order applied for permission for a new march, from the loyalist Shankill area to Ligoniel. |
| It would pass the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road, the same area they were banned from on the evening of 12 July. | It would pass the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road, the same area they were banned from on the evening of 12 July. |
| There has been rioting in Northern Ireland since last Friday's banned march. | There has been rioting in Northern Ireland since last Friday's banned march. |
| Sinn Féin North Belfast assembly member Gerry Kelly met with the Parades Commission on Thursday morning. | Sinn Féin North Belfast assembly member Gerry Kelly met with the Parades Commission on Thursday morning. |
| He said the Orange Order's decision to apply for the parade was "crazy". | He said the Orange Order's decision to apply for the parade was "crazy". |
| "It's confrontational, the decision has already been made on 12 July and so the idea that you would apply for another parade clearly isn't trying to de-escalate the situation," he said. | "It's confrontational, the decision has already been made on 12 July and so the idea that you would apply for another parade clearly isn't trying to de-escalate the situation," he said. |
| "I think the Parades Commission should say no - that is the logical thing to do. | "I think the Parades Commission should say no - that is the logical thing to do. |
| "If the Orange Order are intent on making a difference then, after calling off protests they should follow that through and say 'we are going to enter talks and until those talks take place what we should do is move away from this issue'." | "If the Orange Order are intent on making a difference then, after calling off protests they should follow that through and say 'we are going to enter talks and until those talks take place what we should do is move away from this issue'." |
| Mr Kelly also confirmed he would be speaking to police later about an incident during a parade last month when he was carried on the front of a police Land Rover. | Mr Kelly also confirmed he would be speaking to police later about an incident during a parade last month when he was carried on the front of a police Land Rover. |
| 'Highly provocative' | |
| The SDLP's Alban Maginness also met the commission on Thursday, as did north Belfast priest Father Gary Donegan and Joe Marley from the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA). | |
| Mr Marley said: "The area is tense enough as it is without raising that tension more. I believe it's highly provocative. | |
| "I can see no logical reason why they (the Parades Commission) would allow it. | |
| Asked whether he could see an Orange parade along the road in the future, Mr Marley said: "All three loyal orders walk on that contentious stretch of the Crumlin Road five other times a year - there are protests it is controversial, but I think yeah, why not. | |
| "I think if people come (to talks) with an open mind and a positive outlook, there's none of these issues insurmountable." | |
| Mr Maginniss said: "We put our views very robustly to the Parades Commission, we thought that the decision that was made in relation to the Twelfth was a compromise decision and we think to reverse that decision would be very wrong," he said. | |
| He said the atmosphere in the Ardoyne area had been tense before the Orange Order applied for Saturday's parade. | |
| "It's now even tenser, people are worried, and they're rightfully worried that there could be more public disorder," he said. | |
| Protests | Protests |
| The commission's previous ruling, that the 12 July parade could pass the Ardoyne shops in the morning, but could not walk the same route in the evening, sparked anger and widespread protests from unionists. | The commission's previous ruling, that the 12 July parade could pass the Ardoyne shops in the morning, but could not walk the same route in the evening, sparked anger and widespread protests from unionists. |
| Earlier this week, the Orange Order said it was suspending its protest against that decision, but demonstrations and disturbances have continued in some loyalist areas. | Earlier this week, the Orange Order said it was suspending its protest against that decision, but demonstrations and disturbances have continued in some loyalist areas. |
| Petrol bombs | Petrol bombs |
| After five consecutive nights of rioting in Belfast following the banned parade last Friday, police said they dealt with fewer incidents on Wednesday night. | After five consecutive nights of rioting in Belfast following the banned parade last Friday, police said they dealt with fewer incidents on Wednesday night. |
| However, a petrol bomb hit a police vehicle in the Woodvale Road area of north Belfast, close to the scene of the Ardoyne protests. | However, a petrol bomb hit a police vehicle in the Woodvale Road area of north Belfast, close to the scene of the Ardoyne protests. |
| Also in the north of the city, a parked car was set on fire after a petrol bomb was thrown in Rosapenna Street and youths threw stones at police in North Queen Street. | Also in the north of the city, a parked car was set on fire after a petrol bomb was thrown in Rosapenna Street and youths threw stones at police in North Queen Street. |
| Stones and other missiles were also thrown by youths in parts of east Belfast, Newtownabbey and Portadown. | Stones and other missiles were also thrown by youths in parts of east Belfast, Newtownabbey and Portadown. |
| No police officers were injured during the disturbances on Wednesday night. Four people were arrested | No police officers were injured during the disturbances on Wednesday night. Four people were arrested |