UNIONIST councillors will today meet the RUC Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast, Mr Bill Stewart, to demand that a republican march into the city centre next Sunday be banned.
The councillors are claiming the anti internment rally to Belfast City Hall is provocative and there could be widespread public disorder if it is allowed to go ahead. Sinn Fein, however, says the parade is not passing any Protestant areas and the unionists are engaged in political point scoring.
Republicans will march to the rally from all over Belfast. A Sinn Fein spokesman said parades passing loyalist areas had been voluntarily rerouted.
"The marchers from Twinbrook will not be going near Suffolk. The marchers from north Belfast will be by passing Millfield and people from the lower Ormeau will not be parading by Donegall Pass. Unionists have no cause to complain about this rally," he said.
Mr Jim Rodgers of the Ulster Unionists will lead the delegation of six UUP and DUP councillors which will meet Mr Stewart. He said it was irrelevant that the march was not passing through loyalist areas.
"We want this parade kept out of the city centre. There could well be a serious breakdown in law and order if that doesn't happen. Feelings are currently running very high in the loyalist community.
"Sinn Fein and the IRA are leading demonstrations against Apprentice Boys and Orange Order parades and people are very bitter about that. There is a lot of hatred in the community. Banning this march will help keep the lid on things," Mr Rodgers said.
Several thousand people are expected to take part in the rally, which commemorates the 25th anniversary of internment.