Unionist politicians have lobbied the Parades Commission NI and called for a pro-Palestine march to be banned from entering Scarva.
The event is due to take place on Saturday, June 6, and is being organised by the Lurgan Branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
An application to stage what is being described as the ‘Great March for Gaza & International Justice 2026’ was lodged with the Parades Commission NI.
An estimated 1,500 participants are hoping to walk from Lurgan to Newry, passing through Scarva, en route.
The application was followed by another for a counter-protest in the village, organised by Scarva Concerned Residents.
A further submission was made by the Markethill Volunteers Flute Band to stage a sponsored walk on the Canal Towpath, between Scarva and Portadown, again on the same date.
All three applications have been listed as “sensitive” by the Parades Commission, which is expected to consider them next Wednesday, May 27.
Organisers of the march from Lurgan to Newey had previously described it as “a peaceful, community-led and humanitarian mobilisation calling for civilian protection, humanitarian relief, respect for international law and the right to peaceful public assembly”.
“It has not, is not and never will be a republican march,” they insisted.
Now, however, Unionist politicians have urged the decision-makers not to allow the procession through Scarva.
Local Ulster Unionist Alderman Glenn Barr said: “I’ve been consistent and unequivocal in my opposition to the proposed Republican/Palestinian parade going through Scarva.
“From the outset, I have worked closely with the Scarva Concerned Residents, who have rightly and responsibly raised serious concerns about the impact this would have on a small rural village that has already endured periods of tension.
“Those concerns have been formally submitted to both the Parades Commission and the PSNI and I will continue to make strong and detailed representations that this parade should not be permitted to proceed through Scarva in any form that risks undermining community stability or public order.
“Further formal representations will be made by myself to the Parades Commission on 27th May, a critical date in the consideration of this application.
“The Scarva Concerned Residents Group have acted in a measured and constructive manner throughout, ensuring that the views of local residents are properly and legitimately put forward through the established process.
“My position remains clear: Scarva is not an appropriate or proportionate route for this parade, and the potential consequences for community relations and public safety are too serious to be ignored or minimised.”
TUV Leader Jim Allister has also written to the Parades Commission to “formally object”.
Describing Scarva as a “small Unionist village with a well-established cultural identity and longstanding traditions”, he added: “The proposed parade is viewed by the local community as an overtly political and provocative event closely associated with republican activism and symbolism.
“It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the chosen route through Scarva is itself part of the political messaging. Organisers cannot credibly claim ignorance of the sensitivities surrounding the village or of the tensions which such a procession is likely to generate within the local community, particularly in light of the disorder created by the parade last year in the area.”
Mr Allister said he was “deeply concerned” that allowing the parade “risks inflaming community tensions and creating entirely avoidable disorder”.
And he added: “It would be irresponsible to disregard the very real fears and opposition expressed by local residents.
“The Commission is under a statutory duty to have regard to the potential impact of parades upon community relations, public order and the rights of those who live and work along the proposed route. In this case there is a compelling argument that the balance falls firmly against permitting this procession to proceed through the village.
“No community should be expected to tolerate what is widely perceived to be a deliberately contentious political demonstration imposed upon it against its wishes and which has no cultural or historical significance to the area.
“I therefore urge the Commission to impose restrictions which prevent the parade from entering Scarva and other Unionist areas where this coat trailing is planned.”
The party’s Upper Bann association has told the Parades Commission the march is “neither welcome nor wanted”.
Secretary Richard Greenaway, in a letter to Commissioners, wrote: “It must be clearly stated that this parade with its associated paraphernalia is not wanted by the local Unionist communities through which it is attempting to pass. Further, given that such parades and events have a record of heavy infiltration by republican activists it is hard to escape the conclusion that the parade route has been deliberately chosen in a calculated and provocative attempt to antagonise and offend a quiet, rural Unionist community.
“This conclusion is greatly re-enforced considering the disruption and disorder caused by the parade through the same areas last year- a fact the organisers can hardly be ignorant of. Before the 2025 march and since, the local Unionist communities have been very clear that such a march was not and is not welcome, the events of last year proved exactly why this is the case.
“Given the level of tension generated by this parade, and the opposition of the residents of Scarva (together with residents of the surrounding Unionist areas) who do not wish to see a republican mob descending upon the village and causing the disorder and disruption witnessed last year, it is clear that to permit this parade to proceed will only exacerbate community fears and carries the real risk of disturbances that are entirely avoidable.
“The Commission will be aware that similar concerns were expressed by TUV representatives ahead of last year’s parade warning of disorder if the parade was permitted to proceed. These warnings were ignored and the inevitable disorder followed.
“The Commission must accept its share of responsibility for that disorder having permitted a contentious and provocative parade to proceed through areas in which it was not wanted and had no support. Should the very real fears of local residents and the warnings of local representatives again be ignored this year, we are deeply concerned that disorder and disruption will once again be visited upon Scarva and the surrounding areas.
“We also note that the Commission has repeatedly prohibited Portadown District LOL No. 1 from completing the 1998 Drumcree parade, via the traditional route along the Garvaghy Road, on the basis ‘that the Commission has cause to believe that should the parade process the entirety of its notified route, there will be an adverse effect on community relations and a potential for public disorder’.
“Given that the Commission prohibits local Portadown Orangemen from returning from a church service on such grounds, it is difficult to see how a parade widely perceived as deliberately provocative and made up of outsiders to the village of Scarva and surrounding areas could be permitted to proceed.
“It is the firm conviction of Upper Bann TUV that this parade is of such a contentious and divisive nature that it should not be permitted to take place as notified.
“As such and in accordance with previous rulings made by the Commission against the Loyal Orders and bands, we expect that the same criteria will be applied to this parade and if so, restrictions will be imposed which prevent this march from proceeding through Scarva and other Unionist areas where it is neither welcome nor wanted.”
