The Parades Commission will today decide whether to allow an Apprentice Boys' morning feeder parade past Ardoyne tomorrow week - knowing that whatever decision it takes will prompt recrimination and possible trouble.
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and local community representatives met the commission in the past two days demanding that the parade be banned, even though it passed off peacefully in recent years.
The trouble which flared in Ardoyne on the night of July 12th, however, has made contentious this relatively uncontroversial parade of a small number of north Belfast Apprentice Boys making their way to buses to travel on to Derry for the main Relief of Derry parade tomorrow week.
The commission is today weighing up whether a ban on the feeder parade would ensure the main parade, of about 10,000 Apprentice Boys and supporters in Derry, would be peaceful, or whether by allowing it, there would be trouble in north Belfast and possibly in Derry.
Apprentice Boys' spokesman Mr Tommy Cheevers said a ban of the feeder parade would mean the commission had caved into the threat of republican violence. He said Apprentice Boys posed no threat to anyone.
Sinn Féin, however, has insisted the feeder parade be banned. Mr Gerry Adams and other members called on the Apprentice Boys to be "magnanimous" and voluntarily call off the Ardoyne parade.
The SDLP, which met the commission yesterday, also called for the feeder parade to be banned. There were two main reasons why it should be, said former SDLP lord mayor of Belfast Mr Martin Morgan. "First because of last month's disgraceful behaviour by supporters.
"We cannot afford any repetition of it. We cannot allow their sectarian and provocative behaviour to happen again.
"Secondly, marchers still have not had meaningful talks with residents. Dialogue is the only way to resolve our parading dispute. It's the only way to improve community relations. Until real dialogue happens the SDLP is clear there cannot be a parade."
