Police Attacked During More Riots in Northern Ireland

Another night of violence has ensued in Belfast with continued riots in Northern Ireland. Police were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks and stones.

Riots began on Wednesday night with crowds fighting between loyalist and nationalist areas in west Belfast. Therefore, people were urged to avoid the area.

The police said they had not seen anything on this kind of scale in Northern Ireland for years. They even resorted to deploying a water cannon to try to stop the violence. This is something they have not done in a riot situation for six years.

Appeals for Calm

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin over the phone to call for tensions to calm. The US have also got in involved amid concerns over the violence. They too have appealed for calm.

Northern Ireland Justice Minister and Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long is saddened and disappointed to see more violence on Thursday night. She described it as “utterly reckless and depressing”. She went on to declare that the violence needed to stop as it achieved nothing. It only brings fear and worry to locals who deserve so much better.

Mrs Long tweeted a plea for the violence to “stop before lives are lost”. She sympathised with people in the area who are being made to live in fear and surrounded by disturbance.

Belfast City Council held a special meeting with the Green Party to discuss the recent serious violence in the Northern Irish capital.

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Doug Beattie fears things will only worsen if the trouble is not stopped now. The longer it continues, the harder it will be to put an end to the unrest. He worries that “we will all just become immune to this disgraceful, shameful behaviour”.

Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Colum Eastwood MP agreed that it needs to stop now. He believes there is no justifying the destruction of your community. He too reiterated that violence never solves anything and demanded people “go home.”

President of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald, urged young people to leave the area and for parents to make contact with their children. She does not want a repeat of last night’s event.

The Scale of Riots in Northern Ireland

On Wednesday night, there were several hours of violence. During this time, police officers were attacked, a bus was burnt and petrol bombs were thrown. So far, more than 50 police officers have been injured.

The Northern Irish Assembly held an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the ongoing unrest.

Following consecutive nights of “deplorable” violence, Northern Ireland’s executive says it is “united behind law and order”.

The Irish Prime Minister says “the way forward is through dialogue and working the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement”.

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