DUP leader Donaldson condemns ‘loyalist paramilitary elements’ involved in Northern Ireland Protocol bus burning
Loyalist paramilitary elements have been blamed for the hijack and burning of a bus in an apparent act of protest against Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the "thugs and hoods" responsible for the incident in Newtownards had no part to play in political unionism's campaign to remove the Irish Sea border.
His comments came after Stormont's infrastructure minister, Nichola Mallon, who is responsible for transport services in the region, said the two masked men who carried out the attack "muttered something about the protocol" as they held the driver at gunpoint.
The incident happened in Newtownards at about 6.30am yesterday.
The two masked and armed men boarded the bus and poured fuel over the vehicle before setting it alight.
The driver managed to get off the vehicle unharmed but was left badly shaken by the incident. No passengers were onboard at the time.
The charred and smouldering shell of the vehicle remained in the area yesterday. A nearby bus shelter was also significantly damaged.
The attack in the predominantly unionist area happened on the date set by the DUP earlier in the autumn to pull down the institutions at Stormont if major changes to the protocol had not been secured.
The DUP has not yet withdrawn ministers from the Executive, insisting that progress is being made in efforts to dismantle the contentious Irish Sea border.
Opposition to the arrangements that have created trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK was a factor behind rioting that flared in several loyalist areas across the region in April.
Sir Jeffrey said he deplored the latest act of violence.
"Anyone who believes for one moment that burning buses has any impact whatsoever in terms of our campaign to remove the Irish Sea border really isn't living in the real world," the DUP leader said.
"These paramilitary elements are only harming their own community."
He added: "I am very clear, I will not be distracted by thugs and hoods.”