A MEETING held in Belfast last night has shown "huge support" for the people of Garvaghy Road.
The meeting took place a matter of hours after the Orange Order submitted a fresh application to march through the nationalist district of Portadown a week on from a High Court decision to quash a Parades Commission decision to impose restrictions on its latest application to parade in July this year.
There has not been an Orange Order parade from Drumcree Church along Garvaghy Road since 1997. However, tensions have increased since the High Court decision and have been heightened further since the application to parade along the stretch of the road was submitted on Thursday.
In the late 1990s several high profile loyalist murders were linked to Orange Order attempts to march along the Garvaghy Road.
On Thursday night hundreds of Sinn Féin members attended a meeting where support for the people of Garvaghy Road was evident.
Speaking after the meeting, North Belfast MP John Finucane, said: "There was huge support for the people of Garvaghy Road, and determination that attempts by unionist leaders to turn back the clock will not succeed.
"The Garvaghy Road community should be left to live in peace, free from fear and intimidation. Sinn Féin stands fully with the people of Garvaghy Road."
