The County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast will neither confirm nor deny reports that it may block main roads in the city in protest after the main Twelfth demonstrations on Monday.
The Orange Order is incensed at a Parades Commission ruling concerning a so-called feeder parade involving two lodges and a band from Ligoniel in north Belfast. The two lodges want to march past the nationalist Ardoyne area on their way home from the main demonstration. However, they have been told by the Parades Commission they cannot be accompanied by a band nor be followed by supporters along the pavement at the flashpoint.
The Irish Times understands that the two Ligoniel lodges will now lead the main Belfast parade.
There was trouble in north Belfast last year between those attending the parade and Ardoyne residents.
Belfast Orangemen, meeting in the city on Thursday night, issued a statement condemning the Parades Commission ruling, denouncing it as "incomprehensible" and "a clear attempt to cause division and dissension within the ranks of the unionist family".
Their statement supported the "right of the Ligoniel lodges and supporters to return to the Ligoniel area following the annual Twelfth demonstration".
The statement continued: "To ensure this outcome, the County Grand Lodge has put in place plans that will enable the whole county to support the Ligoniel brethren, bands and supporters as they seek to complete their journey home."
Mr Nelson McCausland, a DUP Assembly member and Orange Order spokesman, would not answer questions concerning Monday night's planned protest. He did say that plans agreed at the Thursday night meeting would be disseminated throughout the membership in Belfast over the weekend.
A spokeswoman at Orange Order headquarters also declined to comment on the plans. She said the Parades Commission ruling was illogical as it prevented both the band which accompanies the two lodges and family members of Orangemen from returning home. "How else are they going to get back?" she asked.
Nationalist representatives have repeatedly called for dialogue between residents and the order, a demand which is turned down by Orangemen.
The SDLP's Mr Martin Morgan, last year's lord mayor, said: "The only way forward in this problem is for the two communities to sit down to proper, open-minded dialogue. There can be no substitute for direct dialogue. We owe it to everyone in the community to sit down and try and find a peaceful compromise. It is never too late to sit down and talk to each other.
"Representatives from all political parties have a responsibility to ensure that there is no return to the dark days of violence and bloodshed in north Belfast."
Sinn Féin's Mr Eoin Ó Broin believes the threat of disruption by the order is an attempt to force the Parades Commission to change its ruling.
He said: "This statement from the Orange Order is clearly threatening and comes in the wake of UDA-organised blockades of Ligoniel over the past two nights. I do fear that the order is putting in place a plan in conjunction with unionist paramilitaries to try and force the Parades Commission's hand."
The police commander responsible for the area, Mr Duncan McCausland, said Orangemen and protesters had rights and the PSNI would try to uphold both.