Thousands of protesters blocked the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Northern Ireland, on Sunday morning to prevent a small Orange Order parade from proceeding through the mainly Catholic area.

The Parades Commission approved the limited march of 35 participants between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. with no bands or supporters allowed. The High Court upheld the decision following late-night legal challenges on Saturday night.

The route along Garvaghy Road had been banned since 1998 due to repeated violence during the Troubles. This marked the first approval in almost three decades.

Protesters, numbering around 2,000 and including Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, formed a blockade on the road overnight in the rain. They linked arms and chanted slogans while some wore balaclavas.

Orange Order members waited at Drumcree Church about a mile away. Police positioned armored vehicles between the groups but maintained distance as the standoff continued.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged calm on all sides, noting significant gains in the peace process since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The Drumcree dispute was one of the most contentious marching issues before the Agreement largely ended the violence that killed over 3,600 people.

O'Neill and McDonald called on authorities to stop the parade. Fireworks were set off near the protest site, and police warned participants of potential arrests for an unlicensed counter-protest.

The Orange Order stated it would conduct itself peacefully and responsibly. As of midday Sunday, the march had not started due to the blockade.