Protesters block first Orange March through Catholic area in 28 years

Around 2,000 protesters blocked the route of an Orange Order march in Portadown, Northern Ireland, after the Parades Commission permitted the first parade along Garvaghy Road since 1998 under strict conditions. The march, limited to 35 participants and scheduled for the morning, was blocked by demonstrators, highlighting persistent sectarian tensions. The incident marks a reversal of a long-standing ban and could signal renewed communal friction in the region.