Northern Ireland Parade Day: Three Men Stabbed

Tens of thousands of members of the Orange Order have been parading across Northern Ireland.

Around 3,500 police officers are on duty after the discovery of a letter bomb at the country's main sorting office overnight.

A 28-year-old man was stabbed during fighting between republican and loyalist factions at Ormeau Bridge, a normally peaceful spot where predominantly nationalist and unionist communities meet in south Belfast.

Tensions are high as marchers take to the streets

Two other men, aged 19 and 21, were taken to hospital after they were stabbed in separate attacks in the early hours of the morning.

Eight people were arrested overnight for public order offences in north and west Belfast, while an attack on an Orange Hall in Ballycastle, County Antrim, was declared a hate crime by police.

July 12 is the date when the Orange Order mark Protestant King William's ancient victory over Catholic King James, and is the biggest day in the marching season.

Bonfires marked the start of the July 12 parades

A third of the officers are based at Ardoyne in north Belfast, where the Parades Commission has imposed restrictions on a march.

A parade on Saturday morning passed peacefully but Orangemen are prohibited from returning this evening past the homes of Catholic residents who oppose the march.

It came after police confirmed a suspicious package discovered at the sorting office on Mallusk Road in Newtownabbey, on the outskirts of Belfast was a "viable" letter bomb.

A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said experts from the army were sent to the scene of the bomb find.

Loyalists signalled the arrival of July 12 by lighting bonfires at midnight but were criticised for burning election posters of nationalist and republican politicians.

A map showing the location of the sorting office

Six hundred parades were expected to take place around the country as a whole.

Organisers have called on marchers to make sure all the parades pass off peacefully.

Grand Lodge of Ireland Grand Secretary Drew Nelson said: "I would have a message for young protestants or any protestant or unionist who feels strongly about what's happening now.

"If you lift a stone or a bottle on the Twelfth day you are falling into a republican trap," he said.

Police said on Saturday afternoon that they were pleased with the level of violence.

PSNI assistant chief constable Will Kerr said: "I am pleased that last night was one of the most peaceful in recent years and am encouraged by the responsible behaviour of the vast majority of people involved."

With the bill for policing parades and flag disputes reaching £55m in the last 20 months, the authorities hope that violence will be kept to a minimum.

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