DUP leader Gavin Robinson claimed “standards have been shattered” and said they will engage with Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant about “how we can go forward when there is such a level of disdain for the simple fundamental democratic principles of society”.
asserted
we → claim → society
“We have law makers acting as law breakers and they need to face the consequences for their actions.
asserted
they → have → actions
“We can’t have a situation where people who have the privilege of holding high office in Northern Ireland so flagrantly disregard the pledge of office and statutory underpinnings of their office,” he told media in Belfast on Sunday afternoon.
asserted
he → have → afternoon
Thousands of protesters have blocked the predominately nationalist route in Portadown in a bid to prevent a contentious Orange Order parade passing.
asserted
Thousands → block → passing
A ruling by the Parades Commission adjudication body permitting the march from Drumcree Church was upheld in an “unprecedented” late night sitting of the High Court in Belfast just a few hours earlier.
asserted
ruling → permit → Belfast
The Drumcree parade, which was associated with violent clashes during the Troubles, has been banned since 1998.
asserted
which → associate → 1998
Protesters, many of them wearing balaclavas, clustered in large groups in heavy rain along the road on Sunday morning, a move that delayed the scheduled 8am start of the parade.
asserted
that → wear → parade
Sinn Féin leaders were among those gathered on the road, including the First Minister and Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill.
Mr Robinson blasted the presence of Stormont ministers and elected representatives as “shameful”, and claimed they are “breaching their pledge of office, participating in an unlawful protest and blocking”.
asserted
they → gather → protest
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“That is a situation that I think cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged, I believe there are sincere calls for those individuals to be investigated and prosecuted for the position they are taking, but as it stands today, there is a lawful determination from the Parades Commission
asserted
it → read → Commission
,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
He said Ms O’Neill is “breaking the law”.
“She’s the head of an Executive and she is prepared to wilfully disregard the ruling of our courts, the determination by the statutory body charged with determining parades in Northern Ireland,” he said.
asserted
he → say → Ireland
“Those are fundamental questions for her and the pledge of office that is given and the law that sits behind that are important fundamentals that are being tested today by her actions, and they will be tested through sanctions as well.”
Asked whether his party will continue to work with Sinn Féin, Mr Robinson responded: “Our party is maintaining the dignity of the Portadown Orangemen as they have shown determination and patience so will we.
asserted
we → give → determination
“I can look at you all in the eye today and say we are being plunged into difficult territory because of the actions of people who are expected to be lawmakers in our country breaking the law.
asserted
who → look → law
“The fundamental principle of upholding the rule of law in this society are sacrosanct and cannot be tarnished.”
asserted
principle → uphold → society
He added: “We have someone who calls herself a First Minister for all breaking the law today, breaking the law, prepared to give a two-finger salute to the rule of law and order in this country, and she is surrounded by other people who should know better.
asserted
who → add → people
“The crisis is not of our making, I think all around us can see how challenging a situation this is but the fundamentals remain, the rule of law must sustain, a legal determination must be policed appropriately.”
asserted
determination → think → law
Earlier Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald called on Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant to intervene to ban the parade.
asserted
McDonald → call → parade
She said the people of the Garvaghy Road would “not be drawn back to the past”.
asserted
people → say → past
Ms McDonald said: “We have spent all night here, all night talking to people, listening to people, seeking to reassure people that actually this can be resolved, and it must be.
asserted
it → say → people
“So here is what needs to happen now – the Secretary of State needs to intervene.
asserted
Secretary → need → State
The chief constable of the PSNI needs to intervene and put a stop to this.
asserted
constable → need → this
It is intolerable, and it will not be tolerated.
asserted
it → tolerate → ?
“This is a dignified and united community, and they are absolutely determined that they and we will not be drawn back into the past.
asserted
they → draw → past
DUP leader Gavin Robinson said: “A First Minister’s duty is to uphold lawful decisions, not inflame opposition to them.
asserted
duty → say → them
The rule of law cannot apply only when Sinn Féin likes the outcome.
asserted
Féin → apply → outcome
Our institutions are founded on respect for the police, the courts and the rule of law.”
asserted
institutions → found → law
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appealed for “calm on all sides” over the Orange Order parade, saying there have been “big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards”.
asserted
things → appeal → Ireland
Police repeatedly notified the protesters through a loudspeaker on Sunday that they are liable for arrest for taking part in an unnoticed parade.
asserted
they → notify → parade
The Press Association understands more people entered the road in the belief the police were sending reinforcements.
asserted
police → understand → reinforcements
The group of Orangemen due to take part in the parade waited at nearby Drumcree Church, having assembled early on Sunday.
Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher appealed to “those with influence to encourage people to comply with the law” as he his officers would detect any offences throughout the day.
He added: “It is incumbent on us all to come together at times like this to do all we can to preserve a peaceful Northern Ireland.
asserted
we → take → Ireland
The Irish Government said it is “very concerned about the situation”.
asserted
it → say → situation
A Government statement said: “Our primary concern remains to avoid a return to the divisions of the past, recalling the significant progress made over many years in furthering reconciliation under the Good Friday Agreement.”
asserted
concern → say → Agreement
The march was finally given the go ahead at a hearing which concluded at 2.15am on Sunday after opposing legal teams outlined their arguments over the controversial parade.
asserted
teams → give → parade
The hearing was one of three separate emergency legal cases heard before the courts in Belfast across Saturday and into early Sunday.
asserted
hearing → hear → Sunday
The final time-limited sitting, which began at 12.20am on Sunday, was heard before Justice Michael Humphreys.
asserted
which → limit → Humphreys
During proceedings he acknowledged the “unusual if not unprecedented circumstances as it is now 1.45am, with a parade scheduled to begin in just over six hours’ time”.
asserted
parade → acknowledge → time
Outlining his decision, Justice Humphreys cited case law that as a public body the courts must respect the commission’s judgment and “their decisions will not be lightly interfered with”.
asserted
decisions → outline → judgment
He said: “The picture painted here is of a public body which took evidence from the relevant sources, weighed up the key issues which were in play and arrived at a reasoned decision.
asserted
which → say → decision
“The jurisdiction to impugn (a) public body’s decision on that basis is necessarily limited to cases where no reasonable decision could arrive at that outcome and in my view, in this case that threshold has not been met.”
uncertain
threshold → impugn → case
He added: “This court cannot substitute its own view or anyone else’s view for that of the commission.”
asserted
court → add → commission
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
