ALLISON MORRIS,
White House issues call for calm as nationalist youths hurl bricks, bottles and fireworks at PSNI
A LARGE group of rioters were blasted with a water cannon by police after taking to the streets in west Belfast for a second night.
There were reports of bricks and bottles being thrown and further attacks on police by hundreds who gathered in the Springfield Road area, close to where Wednesday night’s riots took place.
Protesters were also seen throwing fireworks at police Land Rovers.
PSNI officers in riot gear and police dogs moved into the area in an attempt to disperse those involved.
A video posted on social media earlier showed police water cannons arriving in the area.
Those involved in last night’s violence had been warned by police to “disperse immediately or the water cannon will be used”.
However, they continued to fire missiles at police and after several warnings, the water cannon was deployed.
Some of those present jeered before fleeing as the water jet came closer. Loyalists also gathered at Lanark Way with reports that bricks were thrown at police.
Wednesday night’s violence saw clashes between both communities along the peace wall that separates the unionist Shankill Road from the nationalist Springfield Road.
But Thursday night’s unrest appeared to be mostly confined to nationalists.
Groups of community activists were seen attempting to prevent access to the gate of the peace line where clashes took place the previous night.
Justice Minister Naomi Long described the scenes as “utterly reckless and depressing”.
Ms Long posted on Twitter: “More attacks on police, this time from nationalist youths. Utterly reckless and depressing to see more violence at interface areas tonight. My heart goes out to those living in the area who are living with this fear and disturbance. This needs to stop now before lives are lost.”
The White House led condemnation following the scenes of Wednesday night’s violence in west Belfast which police have said was on a scale not seen in Northern Ireland for many years.
Around 600 people were involved in a riot in the Shankill area on Wednesday evening with petrol bombs, bottles, masonry and fireworks thrown at police and also across the interface at Lanark Way.
A bus was hijacked and petrol bombed, destroying the vehicle. The driver and passengers had previously been forced from the bus by masked rioters. Another two vehicles were also hijacked in a night of mayhem.
Riot police fired six plastic baton rounds. Eight officers were injured and two men aged 18 and 28 have been arrested, with more arrests expected to follow.
Police said paramilitary involvement was likely. Local sources said there was some UVF and UDA participants while the majority of those taking part were very young men.
There have been accusations that older loyalists are exploiting young people involved in the unrest and placing them at risk of injury or prosecution. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Taoiseach Micheal Martin led condemnation of the violence.
The pair spoke over the phone yesterday afternoon about the developments over recent days.
A statement from the Irish Government said: “Stressing that violence is unacceptable, they called for calm.
“The way forward is through dialogue and working the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. They agreed that the two governments would continue to stay in contact.”
In the United States, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “We are concerned by the violence in Northern Ireland and we join the British, Irish and Northern Irish leaders in their call for calm.”
Nationalist youths had gathered at the Lanark Way peace wall and a period of intense sectarian violence took place, as police and local youth and community workers tried to bring the unrest under control.
In a bid to take young people off the streets, Education Minister Peter Weir said some youth services would be reopening.
The services will apply to facilities and youth clubs which operate in areas of heightened community tensions, such as the Shankill. Mr Weir said: “At this time it is even more important that youth services are able to meet the needs of young people in these areas.”
Condemning the Shankill disorder, Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Roberts said officers “witnessed intense disorder in a built up area for a sustained period”
Belfast Telegraph photographer Kevin Scott was also assaulted by two masked men and his camera equipment damaged.
Following a special sitting of the Stormont Assembly the Executive later released a joint statement in a rare show of unity saying: “Those who would seek to use and abuse our children and young people to carry out these attacks have no place in our society.”
‘Those who would seek to use and abuse our children and young people to carry out these attacks have no place in our society’