Groups from every shade of political opinion are entitled to organise public demonstrations, as long as they observe reasonable guidelines and ensure that all those involved behave in a peaceful way.
While most contentious marches down the years across the north have been linked to loyalists, hardline republicans have been repeatedly responsible for serious violence during Easter gatherings in Derry.
By far the worst recent outbreak came in April 2019 when the campaigner and author Lyra McKee was shot dead during prolonged rioting in the Creggan estate, in circumstances which caused international revulsion.
Ms McKee (29) was standing among residents not far from a PSNI Land Rover, observing the disturbances, when a masked gunman, believed to be from the New IRA, opened fire indiscriminately in the general direction of police officers.
She was struck in the head and taken to Altnagelvin hospital, but her life could not be saved, and there were emotional scenes during her subsequent funeral, which was attended by President Michael D Higgins and the then British prime minister Theresa May.
It was appalling that further rioting followed in Derry over the Easter period in recent years, with particularly serious incidents some eight months ago.
Dozens of petrol bombs were thrown, including one which deliberately targeted a watching journalist who narrowly escaped injury, property was attacked and a vehicle was burnt out.
It has emerged that the body known as the National Republican Commemoration Committee (NRCC), which arranges events on behalf of the anti-agreement party Saoradh, is planning a march on Easter Monday in 2025, with a possibility that a second republican group may also assemble.
What is absolutely essential is that everyone concerned fully respects the legitimate rulings of the Parades Commission, which has jurisdiction over public demonstrations of all kinds.
Derry is a city with high levels of unemployment and social deprivation which has suffered from official neglect even after the Good Friday Agreement.
Politicians from all traditions have since been working together to win new investment for the region, with the announcement of the £300m Derry and Strabane city deal last September representing a major and overdue breakthrough which could create up to 6,000 jobs.
The support of the private sector is also vital if Derry’s long-awaited economic regeneration is to develop further in the coming years.
Allowing young people to instead become caught up in disturbances which damage the city’s reputation and may well result in injuries and, has been witnessed, even death, would be disastrous.
Organisation like the NRCC have the same rights and responsibilities as every other section of society, and must strive to ensure that all their activities do not damage their own community.
