Opinion
05 Oct 26

KNEECAP show support for Garvaghy Road community

Kneecap. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

A fresh legal bid against the march is being heard at the Court of Appeal in Belfast today.

KNEECAP visited Portadown to show their support for the Garvaghy Road community as demonstrations continued through the weekend.

The trio went to a local school before meeting residents at the Drumcree Community Centre and were then swarmed by fans and led up the Garvaghy Road by the spokesman for the residents' coalition, Breandán Mac Cionnaith.

They stopped and posed for selfies, accompanied by their solicitor Darragh Mackin - who also represents the residents - as well as their manager Daniel Lambert and Irish folk singer Radie Peat.

KNEECAP did not perform or formally address the crowd.

In a statement after the visit, the band said: "KNEECAP support the residents of Garvaghy Road, they're a determined and strong community.

"No community should have to live with sectarian intimidation, racism or hatred. Not here, not now, not anywhere."

Folk singer Christy Moore also showed his support, re-writing part of a popular folk song - originally penned by republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. In a clip posted to social media, he added new lyrics to 'Back Home in Derry' in a show of solidarity.

"Sorry I can't be there with you," he said in a short message. "Keep it calm, well done on the Garvaghy Road."

He repeated the phrase "No pasarán," an anti-fascist slogan associated with the Spanish civil war, which translates as "they shall not pass."

Many other musicians have also voiced their support for those gathered, including The Mary Wallopers and Beoga, who both performed for protestors last week. Damien Dempsey also showed solidarity, performing a rendition of his track 'Marching Season Siege' in a video message Friday morning.

A fresh legal bid against the march is being heard at the Court of Appeal in Belfast today, with lawyers for the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition arguing that the Parades Commission had "materially misdirected itself" on the police assessment of the potential for disorder and had not given an "accurate representation of the evidence received from PSNI" in its decision.

Demonstrators are protesting against the controversial decision by the High Court in Belfast to allow 35 members of the Orange Order to walk down the road as part of the Drumcree parade route. The nationalist, catholic area is in Portadown - a predominantly protestant town.

They have not been permitted to walk Garvaghy Road since 1988, due to violence between the Orange Order, security forces and residents. A number of people died as a result of the disputes.

Members of the Orange Order have tried numerous times to begin the march since last Sunday morning, but the road has remained blocked.

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) have issued a statement urging authorities to keep the protection of human rights at the centre of any resolution to the dispute.

"Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right for both those who parade and counter protestors," said Daniel Holder, Vice-President of FIDH and Director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice. "Where necessary in a democratic society it can be proportionately restricted to protect the rights of others.

"The Parades Commission decision did not properly consider that the Drumcree parade was inevitably going to require balancing two competing rights of assembly, nor is there consideration of the risks of sectarian intimidation. Transparency and a human rights-based approach across all relevant issues are essential for future decisions.”

Hear Christy Moore's message below.