Coronavirus: Three planned small Twelfth of July parades will be scrapped if restrictions still in place

The Parades Commission has received notification for two events in Cookstown, and one in the north Antrim village of Dervock.

Notification has also been lodged for a larger parade in Belfast in September.

The organisers of all four say they’ll withdraw the applications if Covid-19 restrictions still apply.

The commission says it will keep the parades under review.

The main Twelfth of July celebrations have been cancelled this year because of the pandemic.

The Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, said in April that the decision was taken “in the best interests of our members, their families and the wider community”.

And earlier this month, the sovereign grand master of the Royal Black Institution confirmed that all demonstrations, processions and services scheduled to take place this summer have been cancelled.

The announcement by the Rev William Anderson included the cancellation of the annual Sham Fight which was scheduled to take place at Scarva on July 14.

A spokesperson for the Parades Commission said: “For parades notified to the PSNI and the commission before lockdown, the commission contacts organisers on a rolling basis three weeks in advance of the notified date of their parade to ascertain if they are aware of the Covid-19 regulations.

“At the time of writing, all organisers of parades notified until June 5 have stated that they are aware of the Covid-19 regulations and have authorised the commission to withdraw their parade notifications.

“There are, therefore, no parades notified to the commission for the next three weeks.

“The commission has currently four parade notifications received after lockdown.

“These are for two parades, with 30 participants, in Cookstown on July 11 and 13, a parade of 24 participants in Dervock on July 13, and a large parade in Belfast on September 12.

“The organisers of each of these parades have stated to the commission that they will not hold their events if the Covid-19 regulations prohibit them.

“The commission will keep all notified parades under review and will maintain communications with parade organisers and the PSNI regarding them.”

The spokesperson added: “The commission has no role regarding the interpretation nor enforcement of Covid-19 regulations.”