Advice given by Northern Ireland’s Chief Constable over the contentious Drumcree parade could be scrutinised as part of a legal challenge to the decision to stop it.
Members of the Orange Order are seeking a judicial review after Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant halted the parade from going along the Garvaghy Road amid large scale protests by residents opposed to the procession.
Sir Chris made the announcement on Friday night after an almost two-week stand-off by the Orange Order seeking to walk its traditional route which was allowed by the Parades Commission after almost 30 years of refusals.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant (Zoe Head-Thomas/PA)
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He said he took his decision “in the best interests of peace”, adding he had been advised by PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher that allowing the march to go ahead could lead to serious disorder, and potentially “catastrophic” consequences for Stormont and the peace process.
Later, the Court of Appeal will issue a judgment following a separate challenge by the Garvaghy Road residents to the Parades Commission determination.
On Monday morning, Mr Justice Scoffield ordered a rolled up hearing in the judicial review case, which will combine two stages of the process into one hearing.
The challenge has been widened to include Mr Boutcher.
A barrister for the PSNI said they had had limited time to gather evidence.
Speaking outside court after the brief hearing, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said: The case has been amended and widened to include a challenge against the Chief Constable, that is focused on what is alleged to be the Chief Constable taking into account political considerations in respect of his decision to refer the matter to the Secretary of State.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill will face a motion of no confidence after backing the Garvaghy Road residents amid protests (Mark Marlow/PA)
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“If successful the decision to prohibit the parade will be quashed and the Portadown District will be back marching on the spot on Drumcree Hill, ready to complete their lawful parade which they have been unlawfully denied by the rule of the mob over the last two weeks.
“There is a significant week ahead of legal cases in respect of arriving at some kind of final outcome in respect of this.
“The district’s position is they have always said that they will abide by the law, they will respect the law.”
This evening at Stormont four Sinn Féin ministers will face no confidence motions after backing the Garvaghy Road residents amid protests.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Finance Minister John O’Dowd, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins are those named in the motions before the Assembly.
Ms O’Neill was among a number of people who have received a letter from the PSNI to be interviewed over alleged offences around the protests.
A PSNI vehicle near the Drumcree Church in Portadown, Co Armagh (Liam McBurney/PA)
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She said she will do “whatever needs to be done”, adding she is “happy that the decision that I took was the right decision… to support that community who needed my support”.
The motions were proposed by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston and supported by DUP MLAs Diane Dodds and Jonathan Buckley as well as UUP leader Jon Burrows.
The motions contend those ministers “no longer enjoy the confidence of the Assembly” after they allegedly “participated in the unlawful protest on the Garvaghy Road on 27 September 2026 which prevented a permitted parade from proceeding”.
They add that by doing so they “failed to observe their pledge of office”.
If passed the motions would see those ministers excluded from holding office as minister or junior minister for a period of 12 months.
However to pass the motions will require cross community support which is not expected to happen.