Residents of the Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast have pledged that they will not try to block the path of the Orange parade through the area this morning.
The Lower Ormeau Concerned Community (LOCC) said that, as a mark of respect to the three children killed in Ballymoney, the protest would be "silent, dignified and non-confrontational".
This assurance defused growing tension in the area yesterday afternoon as police responded by dismantling some of the security measures they had put in place.
Large numbers of police and soldiers moved into the Lower Ormeau area early yesterday morning and set up checkpoints on all roads into the district to prevent non-residents from entering.
A further security operation at 4 p.m., when scores of police Land-Rovers moved into the area and completely blocked off the small streets running between the Ormeau Road and the River Lagan, outraged nationalist residents.
LOCC spokesman Mr John Gormley said the group had been preparing its statement promising a non-confrontational protest when the police moved in to block the streets.
The LOCC called on the police to pull back and negotiations took place on the road between LOCC spokesmen and the Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast, Mr Bill Stewart. The police then withdrew to the outer checkpoints.
There were three main checkpoints until late last night, when the security presence in the area was limited to one checkpoint at either end of the Lower Ormeau district.
The statement from the residents' group said its protest would consist of "a short, dignified vigil" last night followed by a black-flag vigil and "a silent, non-confrontational black-flag protest" on the footpath on one side of the Ormeau Road this morning as the parade passes before 8.30 a.m. The statement said there would be no attempt to block the Ormeau Road or physically to impede the parade in any way.
Mr Stewart was also assured that the crowd would disperse after last night's vigil. After giving the order for his men to pull back, he said that if the assurances had been given earlier, yesterday afternoon's security operation would not have been necessary.
Mr Gormley said the policing operation was "a disgrace". At lunchtime he said on BBC radio that the LOCC was "reviewing" its planned protest. "The RUC knew full well that our community was trying to make a response to these tragic events and they came in like this and showed no sensitivity," he said.
Most people in the community had "reacted strongly" to the deaths of the three children in Ballymoney, because of the many young people from the area who had died in the "Troubles", including those who were killed in the Sean Graham betting-shop massacre, Mr Gormley said.
The LOCC said its decision did not mean it was any less opposed to Orange parades through the area and it called on the Orange Order to voluntarily reroute today's parade. Spokesman Mr Gerard Rice said it would be "a march of shame" and again called on the Orange Order to talk to residents. Last night's vigil lasted for just 15 minutes.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, who visited the area as the police moved in, praised the residents for their "responsible decision". Mr Adams called on the Orange Order to voluntarily reroute away from the area. "If they don't reroute, what you are going to get is a procession of shame," he said.