‘No parade, no Stormont’: TUV piles pressure on DUP as Garvaghy Road crisis reaches Assembly

Stormont Parliament Buildings and (inset) TUV Party Leader & North Antrim MP Jim Allister, and the party’s North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston

Monday 28 September 2026

The TUV has called for the DUP to bring down Northern Ireland’s power-sharing institutions unless the Orange Order parade along the Garvaghy Road is allowed to proceed, as the political fallout from Sunday’s blockade moved directly into the Assembly chamber.

TUV leader Jim Allister MP and North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston launched a fierce attack on First Minister Michelle O’Neill, the PSNI and other nationalist politicians on Monday, with Mr Gaston declaring that “No parade, no Stormont” should now be unionism’s message.

His intervention follows calls for the DUP to withdraw Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, a move which would have consequences for the functioning of the Executive.

Allister challenges O’Neill over rule of law

Mr Allister questioned whether the rule of law was being applied both on the streets and inside Stormont following the events surrounding the Portadown District Orange Order parade.

“There are many questions now for Northern Ireland. First and foremost, does the rule of law apply? And now, from today, it’s not just a question of does the rule of law apply on our streets but does it apply within the Assembly?” he said.

“Do the Assembly’s own rules account for anything, or is the First Minister for lawlessness now not only a lawbreaker on the streets, but able to defy the very rulings of the Speaker?”

Monday’s Assembly sitting saw heated exchanges over the Drumcree dispute, with unionist MLAs accusing Sinn Féin and SDLP representatives of breaking the law by participating in the Garvaghy Road protest.

Call for DUP to act

Mr Allister placed particular pressure on the DUP, arguing that it should act against the continued operation of the power-sharing institutions.

“Really, we’re at a point where those who put Sinn Fein in the government — yes, I’m referring to the DUP, who by appointing a deputy enabled O’Neill to be the First Minister of lawlessness — it’s time they acted. It’s time they pulled the rug from under her and ended this charade.”

The comments significantly raise the political stakes surrounding the dispute, with the future stability of Stormont now forming part of the wider argument over how Sunday’s events were handled. Reports on Monday described power-sharing as facing renewed pressure following the First Minister’s participation in the protest.

Chief Constable faces TUV criticism

Mr Allister also directed strong criticism at Chief Constable Jon Boutcher over the PSNI’s decision not to forcibly remove protesters from the Garvaghy Road.

“As for the Chief Constable, is he the Chief Constable, or is it mob rule which is directing the actions of the police? What a pitiful situation! The Chief Constable knows there’s a lawful order for the walking of 35 men down the road and he scurries away in face of the hostility of a mob of lawbreakers.”

He added:

“The Chief Constable needs to recover his dignity and his authority and enforce the law now before things degenerate even further.”

The PSNI has defended its operational decision. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police assessed that removing, at one stage, an estimated 1,000 people — including women, children and older people — would have required such significant force that people could have been seriously hurt and disorder would have been inevitable. Police said the use of force would therefore have been disproportionate.

Gaston declares No parade no Stormont

Speaking during Monday’s Assembly sitting, Mr Gaston described the dispute as a “defining moment” for the institutions and said the Secretary of State, Chief Constable and Justice Minister faced a fundamental question over whether the rule of law was being upheld.

“I commend the Portadown district on how it has conducted itself at every stage of its application to lawfully return 35 Orangemen home after 28 long years,” he said.

“The simple fact of the matter is that the district has done everything right. It modified its application. It was willing to engage in mediation. It forced the biased Parades Commission to fulfil its obligation under domestic and, somewhat ironically, European law. It exhausted all the legal processes, and, when challenged in court, it won not once but twice.”

The Parades Commission determination permitting the procession survived a late-night High Court challenge hours before the parade was due to take place on Sunday. The court concluded that the threshold for interfering with the Commission’s decision had not been met.

Claims against nationalist politicians

Mr Gaston went on to accuse a number of nationalist politicians, including the First Minister, Finance Minister and Principal Deputy Speaker, of breaking the law by participating in the protest. Those are allegations made by the TUV; questions of individual criminal liability are matters for police investigation and, where appropriate, the Public Prosecution Service and courts.

The gathering which blockaded the Garvaghy Road was unlawful under Northern Ireland’s parading legislation and involved senior Sinn Féin politicians, including Michelle O’Neill.

The PSNI has established a dedicated enquiry team to review evidence gathered during the operation. Police have said anyone who has broken the law will be investigated, with relevant cases reported to the Public Prosecution Service to independently determine whether there is sufficient evidence and whether prosecution would be in the public interest.

Justice Minister challenged

Mr Gaston also criticised Justice Minister Naomi Long, quoting comments she made in 2021 about the rule of law applying equally and accusing her of failing to condemn Sinn Féin representatives who participated in Sunday’s blockade.

He concluded:

“That brings me to the core of the issue. If we are to have any confidence in the courts and the rule of law, the parade must go ahead. ‘No parade, no Stormont’ should be the message from unionism today.”

The political confrontation comes as attempts continue to find a way through the renewed Drumcree dispute. Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition representative Breandán Mac Cionnaith met Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant on Monday and said residents were open to mediation, while the Orange Order procession has still not completed the route authorised by the Parades Commission.

With the parade unresolved and pressure now being applied directly to the DUP over the future of power-sharing, the dispute has moved beyond the Garvaghy Road itself. The immediate questions are now whether — and when — Portadown District will be able to complete its parade, and whether the political consequences of Sunday’s blockade could threaten the stability of Stormont.