UK: N.IRELAND: DRUMCREE: ORANGEMEN MARCH LATEST (2)

(8 Jul 2000) Natural Sound XFA Orange Order members seem determined to press ahead with plans to march down the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Drumcree on Sunday, despite the continued ban imposed by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission. On Saturday they held a practise run on the eve of the big parade, marching all the way to the barrier erected by the army to prevent them from going through Catholic neighborhoods. The military have spent all day preparing for Sunday's parade, surveying the area around Drumcree Parish Church and placing barriers at two points along the route where the Orangemen will pass nationalist areas. The Loyalists want to march through the nationalist Garvaghy Road area on Sunday to celebrate a victory over the Catholics which dates back centuries. Orangemen are still adamant they have the right to march the Queen's Highway and few of them have condemned the bloody violence of the past week. Thirty seven police officers and two soldiers have been injured during the week-long Drumcree protest. For the third year in succession, Northern Ireland's Parades Commission has banned the marchers from walking this part of the route out of fear that violence would erupt. On Saturday evening, members of the Orange order flexed their muscles by holding a rehearsal for Sunday's march. Northern Ireland's security forces looked on, bracing themselves for fresh violence in the run-up to the big parade. A ring of barbed wire, concrete and steel now circles the Garvaghy Road as the military continue to prepare for Sunday's parade. Most shops in Portadown closed early on Saturday for fear the street fighting would start again. The army has strengthened defences in anticipation of serious trouble during Sunday's parade which starts at Portadown and goes to Drumcree. Officers were surveying the fields around the road and church where minor skirmishes erupted during last weekend's parade. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...