Fresh clashes in Belfast

BELFAST – A second night of rioting gripped Belfast as Protestant groups angered by a ban on marching through a Roman Catholic neighbourhood attacked police on Sunday with Molotov cocktails, improvised grenades and paving stones.

More than 700 Protestants, who are loyal to British rule, attacked police officers at Alberbridge Road in the Protestant east of the city, police said. One police officer was injured.Numerous cars were stolen and set ablaze there and in other clashes between Protestant youths and police in the centre and north of the city.Northern Ireland’s police chief, Hugh Orde, blamed Sunday the hardline Orange Order for sparking the first night of riots, which injured 32 police in the worst violence to hit the province in many years.The trouble grew out of Saturday’s annual Whiterock parade, part of a series of processions held in Northern Ireland every year during the so-called “marching season” by members of the Protestant Orange Order.Marchers were angered by a decision by Northern Ireland’s Parades Commission to reroute the Whiterock march to keep it out of areas dominated by Roman Catholics, who generally favour a united Ireland.The Orange Order responded by calling on Protestants to take to the streets to protest at the decision.Catholic activists and marchers taunted each other as the march passed near the sectarian divide, before demonstrators clashed with police.At least four police were seriously injured in Saturday’s riots as were two people, one hit by automatic gunfire from Protestant rioters and another injured by an improvised grenade.In Saturday’s clashes Northern Ireland police and British soldiers faced gunfire from Protestant groups For the first time in many years.Police on Sunday showed reporters video images, taken from the air, clearly showing two men with handguns firing as many as 15 shots.They also put on show two police Land Rovers riddled with 20 and 30 bullet holes respectively.In Belfast on Sunday, burnt-out car wrecks and rubble were strewn over roads in a chilling reminder of Northern Ireland’s darkest days, which many thought ended with the 1998 Good Friday peace accords.- Nampa-AFPOne police officer was injured.Numerous cars were stolen and set ablaze there and in other clashes between Protestant youths and police in the centre and north of the city.Northern Ireland’s police chief, Hugh Orde, blamed Sunday the hardline Orange Order for sparking the first night of riots, which injured 32 police in the worst violence to hit the province in many years.The trouble grew out of Saturday’s annual Whiterock parade, part of a series of processions held in Northern Ireland every year during the so-called “marching season” by members of the Protestant Orange Order.Marchers were angered by a decision by Northern Ireland’s Parades Commission to reroute the Whiterock march to keep it out of areas dominated by Roman Catholics, who generally favour a united Ireland.The Orange Order responded by calling on Protestants to take to the streets to protest at the decision.Catholic activists and marchers taunted each other as the march passed near the sectarian divide, before demonstrators clashed with police.At least four police were seriously injured in Saturday’s riots as were two people, one hit by automatic gunfire from Protestant rioters and another injured by an improvised grenade.In Saturday’s clashes Northern Ireland police and British soldiers faced gunfire from Protestant groups For the first time in many years.Police on Sunday showed reporters video images, taken from the air, clearly showing two men with handguns firing as many as 15 shots.They also put on show two police Land Rovers riddled with 20 and 30 bullet holes respectively.In Belfast on Sunday, burnt-out car wrecks and rubble were strewn over roads in a chilling reminder of Northern Ireland’s darkest days, which many thought ended with the 1998 Good Friday peace accords.- Nampa-AFP