The Alliance Party’s Justice spokesperson was speaking after a Parades Commission ruling again restricted the Orange Order from parading along a contentious stretch of the Crumlin Road in North Belfast.
Stewart Dickson MLA said: “The Parades Commission is the lawful regulatory body for making decisions on where and when parades can and cannot take place. While it remains in place its decisions must be respected.
“As we enter the parading season we must all remain calm, or risk scenes of violence again erupting on our streets. No-one wants to see these distressing scenes beamed around the world.
“There is a need for all elected representatives to choose their words wisely in coming days to ensure tensions are not increased in the area. It is essential we secure a lasting solution to dealing with the parades issue, as part of wider framework of dealing with contentions issues.”