Tight security for Drumcree parade

Razor wire is rolled out in advance of Sunday's parade

PORTADOWN, Northern Ireland -- A huge security operation has been put in place on the eve of the annual Orange Order parade at Drumcree in Northern Ireland.

The parade has been the focus in past years of violent disturbances between rival groups of residents.

Over 2,000 police officers and troops have been placed on standby for Sunday's parade which has been banned from the nationalist Garvaghy Road for the fifth year running.

On Saturday, British army engineers set up a barrier across the bridge below Drumcree Church, where the local Orangemen hold their annual service, and at which point the parade will be stopped on orders of the Parades Commission.

Razor wire has also been strung across the fields beside the bridge to prevent any effort to outflank the barrier and soldiers, including paratroopers fanned out across the countryside.

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Around the town police and army checkpoints sprung up and all motorists entering where stopped and checked.

Despite the huge security operation, Assistant Chief Constable Stephen White is hopeful the violence of recent years will not be repeated.

He said he wanted to mount "less warlike" security precautions. "I want it to be like a civic policing operation."

He told the UK's Press Association: "It is unlikely there is going to be a lot of violence."

He said intelligence reports, and public comments from the paramilitaries, indicated that "they don't want to get involved, and I hope there will be no reason for them to."

Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble, the local MP, has appealed for calm.

Up to 2,000 members of the security forces are on stand-by

He said: "I know it is the desire of the Portadown District for things to be conducted peacefully.

"I am sure we all hope that will be the case and that anybody who wants to come and support the Portadown District will do so and that there will be no violence."

In past years Drumcree has been the spark that has lit the fuse on summer weeks of street violence.

Trimble said what happened as the summer progressed would rest largely with the paramilitaries.

He told PA: "It depends on the paramilitaries. If they want to hot up the interfaces then we will have difficulties.

"If they want to behave responsibly and cool things down, then we won't have violence. It depends primarily on the paramilitaries."

Portadown Orange Order spokesman David Jones said: "When we go down that road it will be in a dignified manner. It would be ludicrous for people to think we are going to storm whatever barriers are put up."