Northern Ireland march dispute: sides hold talks

Tension in the Northern Irish town of Portadown has again reached a peak over a march organized by the "Orange Order". Although the Protestant organization attempted to complete its route along the Garvaghy Road, where a large Catholic community lives, protesters blocked the road over the weekend. Banned since 1998 after it led to some of the region's worst riots in the 1990s, the march has once again inflamed tensions. Northern Ireland's police used special equipment to stop activists from advancing, in order to maintain public order.

"Postxronika.az" reports, citing the BBC, that urgent talks involving officials and both sides have been held at Hillsborough Castle to resolve the crisis. Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has called on the sides to reach a compromise and refrain from illegal actions. Representatives of residents said the organization should choose an alternative route and that they were ready for mediated talks. At the same time, sharp political polemics have broken out between the leaders of Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party over the issue.

This confrontation, which has disrupted stability in the region, has reignited religious and political tensions that have persisted for many years. Despite large-scale security measures by police in the area, tension on the streets remains as high as ever. Analysts believe that if no agreement is reached between the sides, the unrest could spread to other cities. Law enforcement forces are keeping security measures on an intensified footing to prevent mass clashes.

Rəşad Hüseynov