Let’s pretend. Let’s pretend that this contested march down the Garvaghy Road on 27 September 2026 is a march through the East End of London exactly 90 years ago. Those insisting on marching are not the Orange Order but Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts, and they insist on their right to march along Cable Street. They are met by Jewish trade unionists, Irish dockers and others who knew bigotry when it attempted to walk all over them.
Barricades were built and blocked the route. Police attempted to clear a path for the Blackshirts, but confrontations spread through nearby streets. Protesters used the slogan “They shall not pass.” Eventually, the authorities ordered Mosley’s march to turn away. Cable Street became an enduring symbol of community resistance to British fascism and antisemitism, and influenced later campaigns against organised racism.
In the words of Bob Dylan, “You don’t need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows”.
Very good jude
Thank you, James…
As a moderate Ulster-Scotsman and fervent unionist, I don’t believe that the OO should insist on the Garvaghy Road parade, after such a lengthy interval. Proving that the Parades’ Commission are a discredited organisation is sufficient for me. To characterise them as fascist black-shirts however, shows breathtakingly obvious bias and sectarianism, bordering on rabble-rousing. Whatever you think of the OO as an organisation, such identity politics seeks to hide the fact that these are ordinary, decent men, seeking to preserve their culture and religion.
Do the decent thing then Angus, show the Christian teachings of loving thy neighbour, and go home the way you came so that everyone can be happy.
This harmless little match of God fearing men only out to exercise their civil and religious liberties has previously wreaked havoc, courted notorious Loyalist killers and resulted in 22 deaths.
Some people join the orange order because their fathers and grandfathers did so. Some join because they want to be part of their Christian community. All things to all people. The orange order does a lot of charity work, the Twelfth is a great day to be alive. For the orange men and their families. However the only reason for insisting upon marching down the Garvaghy Road is because it is Catholic. Why is that important? Well the orange order was/is an anti Catholic organisation. That can not be denied. To say it is not would be ludicrous.
Sorry Angus, but if expressing and preserving ones culture equates with being anti-Catholic, then I fear there isnt much room left for the use of such words as – moderate, ordinary and decent.
Perhaps the OO might instead prove everyone else wrong by displaying some charity work/goodwill towards their neighbours on the Garvaghy road and display respect for their wishes.