After nearly 30 years, Supreme Court allows the return of the Drumcree march in Northern Ireland

The controversial Orange Order march will pass through a nationalist area of Northern Ireland again for the first time in nearly 30 years, following a decision by the High Court in Belfast.

The court rejected an application to ban the parade and confirmed that the decision by the Parades Commission, which had authorized the march, must be implemented.

The Drumcree parade, associated with protests and violent clashes during the 1990s, will take place along Garvaghy Road under several specified conditions. It must begin no later than 08:00, and up to 35 people may take part. The participation of bands and supporters is prohibited.

The decision led to a series of legal clashes over the weekend. Residents of Garvaghy Road opposed the return of the march and expressed concern that it could escalate tensions in the area.

Representatives of the Orange Order, meanwhile, have said that the parade will take place peacefully and in compliance with the law.

Protesters also appeared in the area overnight, while the authorities have strengthened security measures. Around 200 police officers from Scotland are expected to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland operation.

The dispute over the Drumcree march began in the mid-1990s and remains one of the most sensitive issues in Northern Ireland’s troubled political and community history.