Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant, who returned from the Labour Party conference for talks, urged both sides of the dispute to "double down on compro…

Orange Order members and supporters gathered near Drumcree Parish church on Sunday, as police vehicles were stationed nearby

Published27 September 2026

Hundreds of protesters blocked a road in Portadown, County Armagh on Sunday, preventing a contentious Orange Order march from taking place

The Drumcree parade, which in the 1990s sparked some of the most serious disorder in Northern Ireland's history, was due to go ahead for the first time in 30 years following a series of late legal challenges

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill joined the protesters, while members of the Orange Order and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians gathered about a mile away, waiting for the road to clear

Most of the protesters have since dispersed, but some members of the Orange Order remain

Orangemen were waiting in the Drumcree church hall for the go-ahead to proceed down the Garvaghy Road

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said O'Neill was breaking the law by protesting

He said the first minister had "broken her pledge of office"