A senior PSNI officer has defended the force’s handling of the Drumcree stand-off in Portadown, insisting police acted “independently and impartially” and could not have cleared up to 1,000 people from the Garvaghy Road without risking serious injury and inevitable disorder.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson was speaking on Monday as a major policing operation remained in place on the mainly nationalist road, following a weekend in which residents and supporters blocked the route and a small Orange Order parade – authorised by the Parades Commission – was ultimately prevented from passing.
“Today, a significant public safety operation remains in place on the Garvaghy Road. Our focus has been, and continues to be, on maintaining order whilst balancing the human rights of all parties,” he said.
“We will continue to police this independently and impartially, and will take appropriate and proportionate action in respect of any breaches of the law. There was no violence or disorder on the Garvaghy Road at the weekend, this has to be welcomed. The overall aim was to keep people safe and that has not changed.”
The comments come after Portadown District LOL No 1 issued a blistering statement accusing the PSNI of an “abject failure” to give effect to what they described as a lawful parade determination, and calling for the resignation of Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and ACC Henderson.
The District claimed police had “capitulated to Sinn Féin and nationalism” by not forcing a way through the crowd for the 35 Orangemen, who had planned to walk the road in silence and without bands.
ACC Henderson acknowledged the Parades Commission’s ruling, but said the size and composition of the protest meant using the level of force needed to clear it would have been disproportionate.
“The Parades Commission determined that Portadown District were permitted to parade on their notified route. We were unable to allow them their lawful right because of an unlawful and un-notified protest,” he said.
“Since 8am on Sunday, September 27 we have kept under consideration the police response required to ensure that the notified parade could pass along the determined route. Repeated attempts to get people to move off the road were unsuccessful.
“Our assessment was that to remove, at one stage, an estimated 1,000 people from the Garvaghy Road, including women, children and older people, would have required such a significant use of force that public safety would have been significantly jeopardised, people seriously hurt and disorder inevitable. In all of those circumstances use of police force would have been disproportionate.”
He confirmed that officers had operated an extensive evidence‑gathering operation over the weekend.
“During the course of the day, an evidence-gathering operation was in place and warnings were issued on multiple occasions. We have established a dedicated enquiry team who are currently reviewing that evidence and anyone who has broken the law will be investigated,” he said.
“As always these matters will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service, who will independently determine if there is sufficient evidence and if it is in the public interest to prosecute.
“We continue to keep our policing operation under review and engage with all stakeholders.”
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