Police in Northern Ireland say they feared dissident republicans could carry out a gun and petrol bomb attack on officers if the annual Drumcree Orange Order parade proceeded through the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The High Court in Belfast hears that the Police Service of Northern Ireland assessed the risk of violence, including the possibility of firearms being used against police.
The case relates to a judicial review of a decision to ban the parade. Outlets report the application is being heard in Belfast, with the court considering the circumstances that led authorities to restrict the march and whether that decision was justified. The reporting focuses on the police security assessment and the potential threat scenarios described to the court, rather than on details of the planned parade itself or any later outcome.
