A mass protest is being planned in a bid to block a planned loyalist Easter Monday march along Belfast's Lower Ormeau Road, it emerged today.
Furious residents in the staunchly nationalist areaplan to distribute thousands of posters and leaflets at republican Easter rallies next week following the decision to allow the Apprentice Boys to parade through the area.
If a legal bid to have the Parades Commission's ruling overturned fails, nationalists from all over Ireland will be urged to swell numbers at a protest planned for next Sunday evening.
Such an event raises the prospect of a repeat of violent clashes between residents and the RUC after previous marches were forced through.
Mr Gerard Rice, spokesman for the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community (LOCC), today insisted he was confident that court action will block loyalists from parading along the route.
However, Mr Rice also confirmed plans were afoot to stage a mass rally in the area to highlight residents' deep resentment at the Commission's decision on Friday.
"If we fail there's a rally on the Ormeau Road, although the community has not made a decision on what type of protest it will be," he said.
"We have plans at the minute to give out thousands of posters and leaflets."
The LOCC are expected to meet with the Commission again tomorrow to ask for a rethink of the ruling.
After that, the residents' legal team are thought to be seeking an emergency judicial review of the decision in Belfast's High Court.
If that fails then an appeal will go up at next Sunday's annual Republican rallies for people to travel to south Belfast in a show of solidarity.
PA
