BELFAST STREET VIOLENCE: Rioters blasted with police water cannon
Violence flared up again on the streets of West Belfast, amid rising tensions in the area
Last updated 9th Apr 2021
Police have used water cannon on rioters tonight (Thursday) during another night of violence in West Belfast.
It is the second night in a row that disorder flared up with petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks being thrown at officers by gangs of youths.
Incidents took place in Lanark Way and on the Springfield Road.
A heavy police presence was in operation, with water cannon, police dogs and the riot squad in place in a bid to quell another night of unrest in the area.
It is understood there are adults on the ground appealing for no more violence.
PSNI officers were seen holding riot shields and being pelted with missiles before causing the youths to flee by charging at them with dogs.
It’s after the shocking scenes witnesses last night (Wednesday) provoked calls for calm this week from all political parties.
In all, 55 police officers have now been injured during violence in NI in the last week.
A bus was hijacked and set alight yesterday (Wednesday), petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks were thrown at officers and a peace wall gate was lit up in flames.
Tonight’s violence came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish Premier Micheal Martin and US President Joe Biden called for a calming of tensions.
Justice Minister Naomi Long issued a fresh call for calm after what she called “depressing and reckless'' scenes.
She tweeted: “More attacks on police, this time from nationalist youths. Utterly reckless and depressing to see more violence at interface areas tonight.
“My heart goes out to those living in the area who are living with this fear and disturbance. This needs to stop now before lives are lost.''
Earlier, the UK Prime Minister and Irish premier made a joint call for calm after days of unrest across the country.
Earlier the NI Secretary, Brandon Lewis, welcomed a united message of condemnation of the violence by the Stormont parties.
He denied that the UK Government had abandoned unionists through the new Brexit arrangements, one of the concerns inflaming tensions among loyalists that have sparked a week of violence, which police said had been on a scale not seen in recent years.
Mr Lewis arrived in Northern Ireland today (Thursday) to speak to political and faith leaders, as well as the police.
He said: “I absolutely recognise the challenge and the sense of identity challenges that people in the unionist community have felt around the protocol and the practical outworkings of it.''
“That's why we took the actions we took just a couple of weeks ago to help businesses and consumers here in Northern Ireland.
“Obviously, I also appreciate people have talked about the decision last week by the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions), the situation with people coming out of Covid and as the PSNI has said today, pure criminal activity and encouraging young people to take up criminal activity.
“All of these things come together in a way which is completely unacceptable.''
The violence is unfolding because of tensions involving Brexit's Irish Sea trade border and the fallout from the police's handling of the mass republican funeral that took place during pandemic restrictions last year.
As rioting has flared across NI, all four main unionist parties continue to call for Mr Byrne to quit over how his service dealt with the funeral of former IRA leader Bobby Storey.
Unionists are furious at a decision by prosecutors not to take action against 24 Sinn Fein politicians, including Ms O'Neill, for attending the funeral - a decision partly related to the fact that police had engaged with organisers before the event that drew 2,000 people on to the streets.
Mr Byrne has vowed not to resign and has signalled a desire to engage with people who have concerns about policing in the region.
Authorities in Northern Ireland sought to restore calm on Thursday evening after Protestant and Catholic youths in Belfast hurled bricks, fireworks and gasoline bombs at police and each other. It was the worst mayhem in a week of street violence in the region, where Britain's exit from the European Union has unsettled an uneasy political balance.
Nationalist youths gather as they confront police officers
Police use a water cannon at Nationalist youths as they block a road near the Peace Wall in west Belfast.
Police block a road near the Peace Wall in West Belfast
Nationalist youths gesture towards a police line blocking a road near the Peace Wall
Police block a road near the Peace Wall in West Belfast
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