The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant has said his decision to ban the Orange Order’s Drumcree march was in the best interests of peace.
He announced the decision on Friday after an agreement couldn’t be reached between the Portadown District Lodge and the Garvaghy Road residents.
The dispute led to a stand-off between Orangemen and nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown lasting almost two weeks.
Sir Chris said he received advice from the the PSNI chief constable that allowing the procession to go ahead could lead to serious injury, disorder and wider unrest across Northern Ireland.
Speaking to BBC News NI, Sir Chris defended his decision after it was put to him that unionists believed it had undermined the rule of law.
“It’s my job to try and make sure that we have a peaceful set of outcomes in Northern Ireland,” he said. “I didn’t come to this decision lightly.”
He appealed for a lowering of political tensions.
“I really would urge everybody to stand down any rallies or gatherings that there may be. Nobody wants to wind this up any further.
“There’s been, I would argue, too much winding up already over the last couple of weeks.
“It’s easy to stir up a sectarian grievance, much more difficult to calm it down.
“But we will need to look at the long term establishment of trust .”
Sir Chris told BBC News NI that the original Parades Commission determination would remain in place, despite his decision to stop the parade.
“I’ve decided not to strike down the original determination that still stands in law.
“The Orange Order won that right,” he continued.
“But I have decided nonetheless that the march should not go ahead, partly because of the significant disruption to community relations that it would represent, partly because of the way in which the police have advised me that it would have to proceed and could lead to significant unrest.”
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on a legal challenge brought by Garvaghy Road residents against the decision to allow the march.