Michelle O’Neill says she has not received police letter over Drumcree protest

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she has not received a letter from police probing alleged criminal offences relating to her involvement in a protest against an Orange Order parade on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, but “fully expects to”.She has confirmed, however, that Sinn Féin party colleagues Conor Murphy, John O’Dowd and Gerry Kelly have received contact from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).During a visit to the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald again called on Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant to act to bring a 13-day Drumcree stand-off to an end.The PSNI said on Thursday that individuals “reasonably suspected of committing offences” would receive letters for interview.It relates to alleged breaches of a Parades Commission decision to allow an Orange Order parade to complete its traditional route from Drumcree Church down the Garvaghy Road for the first time for almost 30 years.Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill attending a community event in support of the Garvaghy Road residents on Saturday (Mark Marlow/PA)PA WireThe parade has been unable to take place because of significant numbers opposed to the decision attending protests on the Garvaghy Road.Unionists have criticised the First Minister and other Sinn Féin ministers for having been in the area of the Garvaghy Road during the impasse.Ms O’Neill is facing a motion of no confidence when the Northern Ireland Assembly sits on Monday.A number of senior Sinn Féin figures visited the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road again on Friday.Ms O’Neill and Ms McDonald said they had not received police letters, but were accompanied by Mr Murphy, Mr O’Dowd, Stormont’s Finance Minister and Mr Kelly, who they said had received correspondence.Asked about receiving a letter, Ms O’Neill said: “We fully expect to and we will engage with all of that because we’re very comfortable with the decision to stand with the residents of the Garvaghy Road.“This is the difference between right and wrong.”Colum Eastwood speaking to the media on Friday (PA WireMs McDonald pointed out the length of the impasse and said Sir Chris must now take action to bring the crisis to an end.Read MoreShe said: “It has been our expectation, it was our wish from the get-go that the Secretary of State will intervene, and we’re calling on him again to do exactly that.“And no further time should be wasted, we need to bring clarity, we need to bring finality.“It needs to be clear that this Orange march is now definitively off the table, so that this community can breathe easy again and return to their normal lives.“The very idea of leaving a vacuum like this is irresponsible, to say the least of it.“The Secretary of State has to intervene, must intervene, and we urge him again at the earliest opportunity to do exactly that.”Meanwhile, around 100 people staged a picket outside the Northern Ireland Office in central Belfast.They held placards and chanted “no going back” in both in English and Irish. Demonstrators also blew whistles continuously for 60 seconds.Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey addressed the crowd on a loudhailer.“We’re bringing a message directly to the NIO and the British Government that there is no going back,” she said.“And the British Secretary of State Chris Bryant has the power to ban this parade and today he must do the right thing and he must ban this parade.”SDLP MP Colum Eastwood also visited the Garvaghy Road on Friday. He urged anyone who received letters from police “not to worry”.