(12 Jul 1999) English/Nat
SOURCE: APTN
British security forces blocked a bridge with steel walls, concrete blocks and barbed wire to prevent a small Protestant parade from passing by a Catholic part of Belfast during Northern Ireland's most tension-packed day of the year.
Members of the Ballynafeigh Lodge, who have rerouted their parade, arrived at the barricade and handed over a letter protesting the ban.
They held a short ceremony on Ormeau Bridge, before continuing to the local park, where 20-thousand Loyalists are expected to gather for a rally against the ban.
Hundreds of police and British soldiers in armoured personnel carriers packed side streets in south Belfast to make it impossible for Protestant marchers and Lower Ormeau's anti-Orange protesters to come into direct contact.
Earlier, they built a blockade on the Ormeau bridge, which leads to the city's Lower Ormeau Road, a Catholic area hostile to marches.
Twenty minutes before the marchers arrived on the bridge, soldiers drew the gates of the steel blockade shut.
In recent years the Ballynafeigh lodge of approximately 200 members has had most of its parades blocked from passing Lower Ormeau, a series of narrow side streets off the major Ormeau Road.
The marchers still came right up to the bridge though.
They arrived with full ceremony, drums, baton twirling and marching.
One master of the lodge handed over to the police a letter of protest at the ban.
The marchers made it clear how they felt about the blockade.
UPSOUND: (English)
"What we see here today on the Ormeau Bridge only adds insult to injury. I've had enough of getting stopped by police landrovers and to see this monstrosity is a terrible thing indeed."
SUPER CAPTION:Orange man
The Ormeau Lodge spent an hour on the bridge before moving peacefully away.
They made their way to the nearby Ormeau park to meet with other lodges from all over Belfast.
20-thousand Loyalists were due to gather on a plateau overlooking the surrounding mixed-religion areas.
Since the park and the Catholic district are on opposite sides of the river, Orangemen and Lower Ormeau residents can taunt each other with rival flags, signs and slogans, but can't easily reach other.
A heavy police and army presence was set up in the park to prevent any trouble.
The British Army had secured fences with tough sheeting and barbed wire.
But there was no trouble, at least not by the early afternoon.
The sunny weather and festival atmosphere gave no hints this was a day of tension which highlights the sectarian divide.
The Chief Constable of the RUC Sir Ronnie Flannigan visited the Ormeau Park for the event.
Flannigan said he was happy the day had been peaceful and he commended people for their restraint.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think it shows that people can enjoy the event and people not interested in the event can be allowed to go about their business as they would choose to do so. So I think that's a success and I would commend everybody involved for the degree of responsibility they've shown."
SUPER CAPTION: Sir Ronnie Flannigan, Chief Constable of the RUC
Other marches in the province including the controversial Portadown march also passed off without trouble.
The authorities hope the rest of the day will also pass peacefully.
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