Violent Start to Parade Day in N. Ireland

Northern Ireland police moved into Portadown’s Catholic enclave early today, taking control of the route of a disputed parade planned by the Protestant Orange Order. Residents attacked them with rocks and gasoline bombs.

Witnesses said about 100 police in riot gear arrived at Garvaghy Road a few hours before dawn and took up positions close to the march route through the mainly Protestant town’s Roman Catholic residential district.

Hundreds of residents emerged from their houses and hurled a barrage of rocks and gasoline bombs at police, who arrived in armored jeeps, the witnesses said.

Several residents were injured by plastic bullets fired by police. “This is brute force,” a middle-aged woman screamed at officers.

Catholic residents want today’s parade banned. No decision had been announced by police or the British government. Residents said they believed the police action meant the security forces would try to force either the full parade or a token march down the road in coming hours.

Last year police did ban the annual parade but after almost five days of Protestant rioting they reversed their decision and hurried it through Garvaghy Road, igniting a wave of Catholic fury. The week of strife left two people dead, hundreds wounded and more than $30 million in property damage.