Drumcree Ban Challenge Adjourned as Bryant Says a Deal Was Close
A High Court judge declined to treat the Orangemen’s challenge to the Drumcree ban as an emergency and adjourned it until Monday. “This is an important case, and I do believe there is some urgency, but it’s not an emergency,” said Lady Justice McBride. Sir Chris Bryant said his ban “was in the best interests of peace” and that the two sides had come close to agreement.
Sir Chris told the Today programme that two outcomes had been on the table: one final march along the Garvaghy Road, never to be repeated, or the Orange Order accepting that it had won the right to march while agreeing not to exercise it. Neither secured both sides. The judge’s reasoning was practical: “They had the right to walk but they couldn’t exercise it, now the right has been taken away. In practical terms they are in exactly the same position.” Sir Chris said Stormont’s institutions had proved more resilient than expected. The Chief Constable had cited cost in seeking the ban; the PSNI puts the bill for policing the stand-off at about £5m, and rising.