Police preparing files on 18 for prosecutors following Drumcree parade dispute

Police are preparing case files for prosecutors on 18 people following an allegedly illegal protest during the Drumcree parade dispute.Some 60 people have been identified as suspects during the investigation into whether a Parades Commission determination allowing an Orange Order parade along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in 30 years was breached.Despite permission, the parade was unable to proceed due to large crowds in opposition and a police assessment that officers could not safely escort it.On Friday police said 18 of the 60 identified as suspects have been interviewed so far.First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald leaving a police station after an interview with the PSNI (Brian Lawless/PA)PA WireFirst Minister Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald are among several political representatives who have so far been interviewed over their participation in the Garvaghy Road protest.PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said the work to build evidential cases continues.“A team of 30 officers, led by an experienced senior investigating officer, are methodically working through over 70 hours of recorded material and have now built evidential packages in respect of 60 identified suspects,” he said.“Currently 18 of these suspects have been interviewed, and case files are now being prepared before being submitted to the Public Prosecution Service for prosecutorial decisions, in line with normal process.“The investigation will continue in the coming weeks in line with the criminal justice strategy put in place for this operation.“As this is a live investigation, which is likely to be long-running, we won’t be making any further comment at this time.”Sinn Féin councillor Catherine Nelson accompanied by North Belfast MP John Finucane (right) and solicitor Padraig O Muirigh (second left) arriving at Musgrave Police Station (Rebecca Black/PA)PA WireEarlier, Craigavon councillor Catherine Nelson and Belfast councillor Conor McKay were the latest members of Sinn Féin to attend a voluntary interview with police.Speaking before her interview, Ms Nelson said she was “very proud to have stood with the residents of the Garvaghy Road”.“I, along with Conor, are here this morning in a voluntary capacity as a result of our attendance at a peaceful protest on the Garvaghy Road,” she said.Read More“I am very proud to have stood with the residents of the Garvaghy Road, a strong people, a resilient people and a peaceful people, and standing as part of that peaceful protest was the right thing to do.”She added: “There are those within political unionism who can answer for themselves, intent on bringing us backwards.“We’ve been very clear throughout all of this that there can be no going back to the days of fear, of intimidation, of supremacy, so we stood with residents to ensure an unwanted Orange march was not forced through the heart of their community.”