Police Attacked As Riots Continue

Police have been attacked with homemade bombs including blast bombs and petrol bombs, along with a range of other missiles, during a fourth consecutive night of rioting in Belfast.

Trouble flared across Northern Ireland once again yesterday evening, as the number of police officers injured in riots connected to the marching season rose to 71.

Six blast bombs were thrown at police in east Belfast and at least one pipe bomb was thrown in the north of the city.

The PSNI also dealt with incidents in Newtownabbey, Antrim, Dungannon, Portadown and L'Derry.

Police were attacked with petrol bombs on the Lower Newtownards Road yesterday evening. One officer was hurt.

In north Belfast, five officers were injured after a pipe bomb was thrown in the Ardoyne area.

Tensions rose in the lead up to the 12 July parades, following discussions between the Orange Order and the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (Cara). No agreement was made between the two groups regarding an annual Orange march through the mainly nationalist area of the city.

The Parades Commission subsequently ruled that the march could proceed in the morning as planned, but would be prevented from passing shop fronts in the Ardoyne on the return journey.

An attempt by police officers to block the parade was met with anger from loyalists, leading to scenes of rioting and violence against police.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott praised the "restraint" shown by his officers and said the Orange Order needed to "reflect" on its decision to call unionists and loyalists out to protest the Parades Commission ruling.

"Some of the leadership within the Orange Order need to reflect upon whether they provided the responsible leadership asked for by myself and by the party leaders," he said.

"Some of their language was emotive and having called thousands of people to protest they had no plan and no control and I think the word for that is reckless. Not to have a plan, not to have control compromised the safety of many people."

SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness condemned last night's pipe bomb attack.

"After three nights of violence in north Belfast the PSNI have now been subjected to a pipe bomb attack in Brompton Park in Ardoyne," he said.

"The pipe bomb was thrown and exploded close to a police vehicle. This is completely unacceptable and I am very glad to hear that no one was injured in this needless and cowardly attack.

"This is a time now for cool heads and I would urge restraint on the community lest the violence that we have witnessed over the past few nights spread and grow."

Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said: "The first thing to say is that this attack is completely unacceptable and is not supported by the vast majority of the community in Ardoyne and I condemn it. It is wrong and it should never have been carried out. It was a cynical attempt to try and attack the police and raise tensions in the nationalist community in this area which has up to now been calm. A seven year old child was on the street close to where the device was thrown.

"Many people will be justifiably suspicious about the timing of this attack and the motivation behind it. At a time when there is a focus on the behaviour of the Orange Order over recent days it is clear that this attack at this time serves no republican or nationalist agenda."

(IT/CD)