Petrol bombs and bricks fly as violence grips Ulster

PETROL bombs, bricks and fireworks were hurled at police during a republican demonstration in north Belfast in another night of violence for the area.

Water cannons and baton rounds were deployed as riot police moved into the area near Ardoyne, when a republican protest march was held to coincide with an Orange Order parade through the sectarian interface following the Twelfth commemorations.

Hundreds of officers and dozens of armoured vehicles were brought into what is a relatively confined residential area as dozens of young rioters in masks faced them and attempted to gain ground.

Black billowing smoke from a car which was set on fire at the flashpoint was visible for miles around. Some officers were set alight briefly when hit by petrol bombs.

Stones and missiles were also thrown at police and a parked vehicle was set on fire.

The police also used a water cannon to extinguish a fire on a shop roof last night.

Ardoyne has been the scene of serious trouble in the past between police and republicans following similar loyalist parades. It is a working-class area of mainly terraced housing.

The parade had continued peacefully past Ardoyne shops, but there was a silent protest by republican residents.

A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Shortly before 7pm this evening a number of missiles, including bricks and masonry, were thrown at police in the Estorial Park area."

She said three baton rounds were discharged by officers and that fireworks were also used by rioters. Police remained in the area last night, working to restore calm.

Trouble later spread to other parts of Belfast, with disturbances in the Stewart Street area of the city centre, near the mainly republican Markets area. There were also outbreaks of violence in Londonderry and Armagh.

North Belfast Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds condemned the rioters.

"These people have been intent on attacking the police and wreaking havoc in their own community. Such violence is senseless and has clearly nothing to do with protesting against a parade," he said.

He praised Orangemen for how they had marshalled their parade.

"I also pay tribute to those in the nationalist community who worked to try to maintain peace in the area," he added.

"It is unfortunate and deeply disappointing that all this hard work has been ruined by a few mindless republicans who were always intent on creating havoc on our streets and attacking the police as part of a wider agenda."

But Ardoyne community worker Joe Marley accused police of being heavy-handed and said a solution had to be found to the annual violence.

"What we witnessed on the Crumlin Road today was not an expression of 'Orange culture', it demonstrated yet another muscle-flexing exercise by loyalists as was seen over recent weeks, and a lack of positive leadership by unionist politicians," he said.