Belfast Rocked By Second Night Of Riots

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Belfast Rocked By Second Night Of Riots



11:10am UK, Wednesday June 22, 2011
Petrol bombs, bottles and bricks have been thrown at police in the worst rioting in Belfast for 10 years.


Hundreds of youths took to the streets of the Northern Irish city for a second night of mayhem.
A gunman appeared to be deliberately targeting the media and shot a press photographer in the leg.
Police have now arrested a 20-year-old woman on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault on police. She is being held in custody.
Three shots in total were fired during the disturbances around the Short Strand area, a Catholic enclave in eastern Belfast.


Petrol bombs are thrown towards the Short Strand area of the city


The violence has been blamed on the Ulster Volunteer Force - loyalist paramilitaries supposed to be keeping to a ceasefire.
The photographer who was shot was from The Press Association and had been documenting the violence.
He was wounded in the leg and taken to Royal Victoria Hospital, where he was said to be in a stable condition.
Two men had earlier been shot in the leg during fighting on Monday night. A third was hit by a concrete block and fractured his skull.


A petrol bomb lands close to a police officer


Police said they were dealing with "serious disorder" and confirmed water cannon had been used to try and deter the rioters.
Masked youths pelted each other with stones, fireworks, bricks and bottles. Petrol bombs were also used.
The sudden upsurge in violence has been blamed on simmering sectarian tensions in the city.
But others have put it down to rivalries inside the UVF over curbs to contentious parades and police investigations into crimes during the Troubles.

Police share the view that the UVF "orchestated" the trouble but tension is never far from the surface here.

David Blevins, Ireland correspondent


The UVF is one of the largest loyalist groups and was blamed for a murder last year despite having observed a ceasefire and decommissioning its weapons.
A paramilitary watchdog found its leadership had sanctioned the "public execution" of loyalist Bobby Moffett, who was shot dead in front of shoppers.
UVF murals have recently appeared in east Belfast showing masked, armed men in an apparent bid by the group to make its mark.
The location of the latest riots is a notorious flashpoint. Short Strand is a small Catholic community in the predominantly Protestant east of the city.


Hundreds of masked youths took to the streets




The violence has been blamed on the UVF paramilitary group


Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have both condemned the riots.
Mr Robinson said: "At this time when many are working hard to build a better and brighter future for all in Northern Ireland, it is disappointing and deeply concerning to see this level of violence return to our streets."
Mr McGuinness added: "A small minority of individuals are clearly determined to destabilise our communities.
"They will not be allowed to drag us back to the past. I call on all those involved to take a step back and to remain calm."

[JP226]

Just when you think the rest of the world is as civilized as the US... NOT

[Tiberios]

Hopefully this violence won't escalate to much. This conflict must not flarer up again.

Just when you think the rest of the world is as civilized as the US... NOT

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

I think its just some of the UVF who are fighting each other over turf and then attacking a catholic area afterwards for the lulz.I hope this calms down.

[King Nud]

Was just talking to my mum about this, she believes that for the last decade or so, the amount of violence has gone up and down in a cycle....

It won't last.

[Erebus Pasha]

It's really good that Robinson and McGuinness have come out quickly to condemn the violence. Although it seems as if the violence started due to an internal dispute within the UVF it's obvious spread with Catholics getting involved too, with attacks on Police officers and journalists to boot. It's sad that certain groups seem intent on destabilising Northern Ireland again. The message to these individuals should be that we don't want you and we don't need you.

[Admiral Piett]

And yet, the threat of intimidation and fear is so not helping potential votes on the future of NI.

More has been achieved by peace and diplomacy in the past 15 years than the 30 years prior of violence.

[Their Law]

I wonder how much of this is economically driven discontent. Youth unemployment is quite high in the country so it can't be a coincidence that most of the rioters are young adults.

[neoptolemos]

When is the march of the protestants?
These incidents are creating an atmosphere.....

[Ardruire Iacób]

When is the march of the protestants?
These incidents are creating an atmosphere.....

July 12th.

[neoptolemos]

July 12th.

Aren't they problems almost every year?
I mean when it come for Belfast, i hear about it almost entirely about the violence between the Catholics and the protestants....

[priam11]

Gotta hand it to the Irish...they know how to riot (unlike Vancouver).

Dark clothing:
Check
Molotovs:
Check
Cover your face so you do not get identified by surveillance cameras, cell phones, eyewitnesses, news coverage and getting turned in by family members who viewed any of the forementioned:
Check

[Pielstick]

Sky News is reporting the PSNI believes the riots have been orchestrated by loyalists, but the gunfire - directed at journalists - was from republicans.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-..._Belfast_Riots

Also very interesting to see the local (unionist) politician who says this is just as much about the economic woes of the local area as it is about sectarianism. He blames the violence on the desperation of the local loyalist community who feel they have been "left behind" by the peace process.

[Ardruire Iacób]

Aren't they problems almost every year?
I mean when it come for Belfast, i hear about it almost entirely about the violence between the Catholics and the protestants....

Yes. Every single year. A correction, though, it's between Republicans and Loyalists.

Not Nationalists and Unionists, not Catholics and Protestants.

turned in by family members who viewed any of the forementioned

You realise that this conflict is partly ethnic and quite traditional, right? It's rare to hear of family members being informants.

[kt87]

Its been brewing for a while, but at the weekend it all kicked of when republicans from the strand road attacked protestant homes for 2 nights in arow and so now this has happened in retaliation. 3 people shot so far, 2 prods and a press photographer all by republicans.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

i think murals like this on buildings on both sides should be painted over as they gloryfy thuggery.I mean what other country has these things on walls as symbols.It devalues property this kind of graffiti

[Ardruire Iacób]

i think murals like this on buildings on both sides should be painted over as they gloryfy thuggery.I mean what other country has these things on walls as symbols.It devalues property this kind of graffiti

I agree, I mean, look at this inflammatory nonsense...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

However, I had read last year that they were slowly repainting the murals with fairly neutral stuff. Besides, there is actually some stuff that never supported either side.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Tia]

i think murals like this on buildings on both sides should be painted over as they gloryfy thuggery.I mean what other country has these things on walls as symbols.It devalues property this kind of graffiti

You gotta hand it to them, those graffiti artists are pretty good.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Wait, they're STILL fighting over North Ireland and Catholics vs. Protestants?

[the_mango55]

What happened? They lose a hockey game or something?