Belfast sees third night of riots
Loyalist protesters took to the streets of Belfast for a third night in a row on Monday in what is perceived to be a real test for the Northern Ireland peace process.
The trouble began on Saturday and followed the re-routing of a contentious Orange Order parade.
Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain yesterday called for community leaders to give their support to the police and “the forces of law and order”.
Mr Hain is currently reviewing whether the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) or Ulster Defence Association (UDA) members orchestrated the violence, and is widely expected to withdraw the recognition of the 1994 joint UVF-UDA ceasefire.
During rush hour last night, roads were blocked by protesters, causing traffic jams across the city. No injuries were reported although protesters hurled several petrol bombs at a police base in west Belfast.
Gangs also hijacked and set alight vehicles on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast.
Several thousand police were out in force to ensure order across the city. At least 50 officers were injured over the weekend after angry mobs fought police and soldiers.
The leader of the Democratic Unionist party (DUP), Ian Paisley, has condemned the violence in Belfast this weekend, and claimed the rioters have simply played into the hands of Republicanism and the IRA with their actions.
Mr Hain discerned a “moment of choice” for everybody in the province, including politicians and people in every part of the community.
“Whose side are you on? Are you on the side of law and order, applied fairly and equally to every citizen?” he asked.
“Or are you against law and order, siding with those firing bullets at the police, throwing petrol bombs and blast bombs at police and attacking them?”
