Thousands of people attended rallies related to the Drumcree dispute in Portadown, Co Armagh on Saturday as a stand-off between the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road residents entered its seventh day.
A large crowd gathered at a demonstration in support of residents.
First Minister Michelle OâNeill, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and former party leader Gerry Adams were among those in attendance.
âI thank you on behalf of people everywhere for having the courage to make this stand,â McDonald told the crowd.
âYou make a difference for us all, and we shall overcome. And there will be no Orange march down this road, not now and not ever.â
Breandán Mac Cionnaith, chairperson of the Garvaghy Road residentsâ coalition, also addressed the crowd.
The impasse has been ongoing since the Parades Commission gave the green light for the first time in almost 30 years for the Portadown District of the unionist Orange Order to complete its traditional route along the Garvaghy Road.
Marches in Drumcree in the 1990s were often linked to violence, with 21 deaths related to the standoff.
A coalition of residents in the largely nationalist Garvaghy Road area is opposed to the march going ahead this year and took legal action, which failed, before starting a protest to prevent the parade from taking place.
A fresh legal appeal by the residents is set to be heard in the Court of Appeal on Monday.
[ From local row to peace-process shambles: How the Drumcree standoff developedOpens in new window ]
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said a major public safety operation will continue in Portadown over the weekend.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Bryant said he would âespecially urge calm this weekendâ.
Bryant said a prolonged standoff in Portadown is âultimately in nobodyâs interestsâ.
âI have been working with all those involved to find a mutually acceptable solution,â he said in a post on social media.
âIâm grateful to all those who have been and are engaging in dialogue. This is a crucial time for Northern Ireland and I hope people can still find further compromise.
âLeadership is never easy at moments like this but I commend all those who are trying to get to a solution.â
Sinn Féin politicians had been encouraging people from across the island to attend the demonstration on Garvaghy Road, which has been dubbed the âNo Going Backâ rally.
âThe Garvaghy Road residents are holding a rally and calling on people from across Ireland to join with them in support of their right to live free from sectarian harassment and intimidation,â a statement from Sinn Féin said.
âLetâs stand together. There can be no Orange march forced down the Garvaghy Road. No going back!â
A crowd has also gathered in the Edgarstown area in support of the Orange Order. The rally, referred to as the âLet Them Home Festivalâ, is due to take place from 4pm-8pm.
The Portadown district of the Orange Order released a statement on Saturday clarifying reports that John Larkin, Northern Irelandâs former attorney general, had withdrawn from its legal team.
âMr Larkin KC was not available for the listed hearing date which necessitated a replacement to step in for that upcoming hearing … There is no grand conspiracy.â
The statement said the legal firm changed after informing the court that âthey and their staff have felt threatened and they couldnât safely continueâ.
âOur junior barrister in the case has also been threatened and has required police protection. She has refused to be bullied and remains in place.â
Jamie Bryson, who is a legal adviser to the district, has also been threatened but remains on the case, the statement added.
âWe look forward to Mondayâs Court of Appeal case, and once again urge everyone to abide by the law.â
Bryant, who chaired talks with both sides during the week that were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement, said his door remains open for further engagement.
â Additional reporting from PA
