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Police officers injured as sectarian riots erupt in North Belfast

Chief appeals for calm after parade clashes

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, September 3, 2012, 7:47 AM

Updated Tuesday, September 4, 2012, 10:51 AM

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Police injured in Belfast riots

Photo by Google Images

Officials have appealed for calm after up to 50 police officers were injured in sectarian riots in north Belfast.

The area witnessed hours of rioting on Sunday night with the Police Service of Northern Ireland forced to deploy water cannon.

Their officers were attacked with fireworks, petrol bombs, and bricks as loyalists protesting over a republican parade attacked police in the Carlisle Circus and Antrim Road areas.

Four officers were hospitalized with various injuries while at least 43 other officers were treated at the scene for various minor injuries.

A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour.

PSNI Chief Supt George Clarke said: “I am both angry and sad that my officers have been subjected to such significant attack.

“They showed tremendous courage in the face of enduring violence.”

The trouble broke out after a large crowd congregated between the Belfast Orange Hall and Carlisle Circus for a lawful parade. Police had received no notification of a protest.

Chief Supt Clarke added: “People will be held to account for their actions.

I am urging all individuals and communities affected by recent events to take a step back. Violence has serious and unwanted consequences for us all.

“We must work harder at finding solutions through talking and accommodation. We cannot continue to see the lives of our community and our police officers put at such risk.

“Every hour of disorder in Northern Ireland not only puts lives at risk, it also reduces confidence in our community and wastes huge amounts of money that could be better spent on schools and hospitals. Violence cannot be a solution.”

Nster.com

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18 Comments

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Murph46 | Sep 05, 2012, 11:24 AM EDT

RedBranch-We will take Ferry on Sept28th-Arrive Belfast-Wellington Park Hotel Malone Road.Love to see you

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IrelandNorth | Sep 05, 2012, 08:56 AM EDT

How £oyal can they be if they attack the protestant police force of their own n€o-provincial $tatelet? (Do I detect an outbreak of insipient Carsonitis/-osis here?) How can one explain this carnival of reaction in Carlisle Circus and environs? Are £oyalists only allowed parade and not r€publican$ in a powersh[e]ared Norn Iron Execut[e]ive? Covenant parade may need cancellation. And this a-la-carte £oyalism underfunded. Ideological £oyalist hegemony needs deconstruction. And petit-bourgeois constitutional unionist politico Stormontians discouraged from controlling/manipulating their proletarian untermenschen £oyalist Community Projectians from projecting tribal communalism. New British Secretary-of-State (SOS) may need to deploy Irish regiments of British Army staffed by 'southerners' (sic), to back up PSNI in their thankless task in this decade of centenaries.

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IrelandNorth | Sep 05, 2012, 08:55 AM EDT

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aloistmartin | Sep 04, 2012, 08:11 PM EDT

citizen69@ Even Jesus and the Apostles were " Rioting Thugs " Stop trying to make Double Devon Cream out of Bread and Wine ... Citizen 69, Indeed ~

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merefalow | Sep 04, 2012, 07:55 PM EDT

the police were trying to stop a protestant attack on a nationalist parade,that was impossible once,it wouldn't have happened, so its a good sign of impartiality,parades in northern Ireland are provocative and violence inducing,they should be banned for a few years by both persuasions to give peace a chance.why should the police have to be in the middle when if they were banned?less trouble and violence.

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Murph46 | Sep 04, 2012, 12:12 AM EDT

It would be our pleasure to meet you and hear your insights RedBranch

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RedBranch | Sep 03, 2012, 05:54 PM EDT

I'm clearing the diary, shame you'll miss Van Morrison in his 'homecoming' gig this Sat.

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Murph46 | Sep 03, 2012, 05:07 PM EDT

Thank you RedBranch,I'd love to buy you a pint,keep in touch.I leave Sept 10th but will be in NI late Sept to,early Oct.

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RedBranch | Sep 03, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT

Ah Belfast in flames, always warms the cockles of your heart... Murph I'm available as a guide / font of bigoted knowledge if you're interested. As the good citizen says you and your family will probably be fine. Remember there's more to NI than the Shankill and the Falls

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citizen69 | Sep 03, 2012, 04:20 PM EDT

Rioting thugs need to be rounded-up and brought to justice. As i've said before, everyone has a right to protest but they have responsibilities also. No-one has the right to enact violence on people or their property. If one wants respect they need to show it towards others. pilib04 pretty much called it below. Loyalist rioters or Republican rioters, it matters not. We don't need them. @Murph46: Your family and yourself will be fine. These are really a few isolated cases of trouble arising around contentious parades. You'd be extremely unlikely to run into anything like this by accident. I'm sure you'll have a great time in Northern Ireland. Hope you enjoy it.

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cillowen | Sep 03, 2012, 03:52 PM EDT

The Peace Agreement I know and knew would be a joke. It made the Queen fulfilled as son Charlie allows when she came and was raved about similar to Victoria who arrived in the height of the Famine - both of the UK's symbols were feted like none other. Their planted Proodi will always remain true to form. Even John Mitchel (a fellow of their) described their lunacy.

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aloistmartin | Sep 03, 2012, 01:52 PM EDT

Out ! Out with all you I.R.A. Maligning Peace Process Butter Cookies ! Out with you now !

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Murph46 | Sep 03, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT

Carrickcourt-Though one with Nationalistic tendencies,I would not tend to pick a fight in an Orange bar.I am going to N.I. for the first time out of three trips because the peace agreement having been signed.I want to see the murals (especially Bobby Sands).So seeing this unexpected turn of events,I am concerned for the safety of my family.

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kflanigan | Sep 03, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT

Dean Jackson get a grip regarding the church. It's sounds like your trying to write a conspiracy novel.

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carrickcourt | Sep 03, 2012, 11:21 AM EDT

Murph46, like any where else in the world one has to know where one is going to stay safe. So an obvious example would be an Irish American of strong "Nationalist" background going into a pub in a Loyalist community in the North, not such a great idea. The opposite would also apply to an Irish American of Orange heritage going into a pub in a Nationalist community in the North. Watch where you go and be aware of where you are going.

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