Massive security in place for Drumcree demo
Paramilitary elements could be planning to provoke violence in Northern Ireland when Orangemen stage a protest demonstration at Drumcree on Sunday, it was claimed today.
Security chiefs said today they were optimistic, at this stage, that any potential trouble will be restricted.
But RUC Assistant Chief Constable Steven White, who is responsible for policing Drumcree, admitted: ‘‘We are preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.’’
‘‘It will only take one spark to ignite or inflame the situation.’’
Up to 1,600 additional troops are in place as preparations were finalised for Sunday’s demo in Portadown, Co Armagh, where Orangemen will be prevented from marching on the nationalist Garvaghy Road.
And RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan today maintained that violence was not inevitable.
He echoed a plea issued by Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid to all sides at Drumcree to minimise violence.
But he added: ‘‘I don’t think it is unavoidable - there are some positive signs.
‘‘In previous years, we experienced nightly violence that thankfully has not been manifest in the past week.
‘‘There are some signs that people are beginning to exercise sense.’’
He said the ‘‘very small minority’’ that went along to cause trouble had to be isolated and dealt with.
‘‘Intelligence at the moment is that the paramilitary organisations by-and-large do not want organisationally to be involved in this.
‘‘And I would think it is the last thing in the world the Orange Order would want.’’
Elsewhere, senior churchmen and politicians on all sides today appealed for calm amid fears that disturbances could spread. Orange Order leaders have told the loyalist paramilitaries to stay away.
Police will stage a massive security operation with the support of a huge military presence at Drumcree and officers warned violence could erupt at any time.
The warning comes as Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid was today holding talks with pro-Good Friday Agreement parties at Hillsborough, Co Down, prior to next week’s major discussions involving the Prime Minister Tony Blair in Shropshire.
Up to 200 supporters of the jailed loyalist paramilitary leader Johnny ‘‘Mad Dog’’ Adair staged a demonstration at Drumcree last night, but the level of street protests over the Garvaghy Road ban has been fairly minor.
The new Northern Ireland security minister Jane Kennedy said the world would be watching events in Northern Ireland this weekend.
‘There is concern about what could happen. So far the protests have been largely peaceful and I hope calm heads and cool tempers will prevail,’’ she said.
