British Government Urged to Act on Garvaghy Road Standoff

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has called on the British Government to take action in response to the ongoing standoff in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The issue centers around a decision by the Parades Commission allowing members of the Orange Order to march through the largely nationalist area of Garvaghy Road.

Crunch talks between the parties involved have thus far failed to yield a breakthrough, with more discussions expected today. McDonald expressed her concerns that the Orange Order is attempting to 'bully' their way down the Garvaghy Road, and that this is causing fear among the local community.

The sense of fear experienced by the mainly nationalist residents in the area is difficult to understand unless one experiences it firsthand, according to McDonald. She stressed that another generation of people in Portadown should not have to endure the fear and sectarianism of years past.