UK prime minister urges calm ahead of controversial Northern Ireland parade

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham appealed for calm on all sides ahead of a controversial parade in a Northern Irish town on Sunday.

The parade by the Protestant Orange Order is due to pass along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in almost 30 years.

Hundreds of counter-protesters, including Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill and other nationalist politicians, blocked the road ahead of the planned march, Irish media reported Sunday.

"I know it's a tense situation. We do appeal for calm on all sides," Burnham told BBC about the parade. "There have been big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don't want to see things go backwards.

"So, obviously, a challenging situation today, but it's very important that we work to bring calm," he urged.

The Orange Order, Northern Ireland's most prominent Protestant fraternal order, says the Garvaghy Road forms part of its traditional marching route.

However, many Catholic residents in the area oppose the parade, viewing such marches as sectarian and triumphalist.

The Parades Commission, the independent body responsible for regulating contentious marches, ruled Friday that the parade could proceed, but limited participation to 35 people and prohibited bands from taking part.

The decision followed a 24-hour series of legal challenges that continued into the early hours of Sunday. The High Court ruled that the commission's initial decision allowing the march had to be respected.

The dispute has its roots in the 1990s, when attempts by the Orange Order to march along the Garvaghy Road became a major flashpoint during Northern Ireland's conflict known as the Troubles.

The confrontation contributed to some of the most serious disorder of the period and ultimately led to the establishment of the Parades Commission.

Northern Ireland has historically been divided between two broad political communities.

Protestants, who are generally associated with unionism, broadly support Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. Catholics, who are generally associated with nationalism, broadly support Irish reunification.

The Orange Order holds annual marches to commemorate historic Protestant victories in the 17th century. Members traditionally wear orange sashes and bowler hats.