Protests continue to rage as Union flag raised over City Hall to mark Kate Middleton's birthday

Fallsnat. There were more than SF who introduced the flag issue, although they will claim it as some great victory that proves we are getting closer to a UI. The one they forecast for 2016. The one there is no movement on except a call for a poll that hasn`t a snowballs chance in hell. But hey it looks good that they still throw the wording about for window dressing. Even better when the loyalists exadgerate their Britishness being stripped from them. It would make a good comedy show.

British troops will be the next line of defence. Just imagine the loyalists bringing their guns out against them again and the consequences of a brit public reaction. To bring in reinforcements from the 26 would be too much salt on the wounds and give them a somewhat diluted justification to take armed action. A creature that would grow more legs by the day.

'Total victory" tell that to your orange thugs running through the streets of Belfast and see what you get. Childish comment as usual.

seano - yet more anti protestant remarks, if you stand for a catholic only ireland, front up & say so. You've obviously not a free stater, you also got your wish, as the PSNI fired plastic bullets at the Loyalist crowd tonight, this is all starting to spiral out of control. The trouble for you Shinners is that you want everything to happen your way - there will be no peace on the island of Ireland is 1 side insists on total victory.

Made In Denmark

As an old Dublin working class boy and a nationalist IrishNorth,where does that leave Connolly and the trade unionists who were instrumental in driving Irish nationalism. I understand the plight of all working class people.Maybe the loyalist working class are victims of their own narrowmindedness. If memory serves me correctly they set themselves apart from their Catholic brethern to persue a narrow bigotry to the point of murdering or thrashing Catholic workers who they perceiced as taken good protestant jobs. ARe they not now reaping the wild wind of their own narrow principals

The loyalists will eat the Garda for breakfast, they couldn't cope with them, anyway that besides the point, Sinn Fein introduced the flag removal process & the country is further away from ever agreeing on anything. How would the IR people react if the tricolour was removed?

seanomelb! Important to be empathic. those loyalists lads are trapped in a pretty bad case of false class consciousness. They've been sold a pup, like working class Dubliners with the mirage of middle class nationalism.

For a Nickle wee Will @?

How disappointing the silence of most unionist politicians in this dispute.Mc Kittrick was interviewed on the TV and he blames the riots on the Prod working class been left behind and they feel under siege. Maybe if they spent more time in school and less time protesting or attending lodge meetings they may lift their social standing and social behaviour.

It means that the mutual aid agreements were not used at this time. When PSNI cops are too hard pressed and are being masacred then the Irish Garda will come up and bail them out. As part of the EU agreements, mutual aid will come into play more often in border areas. Not to worry though, when there is a UNITED IRELAND there will be only one Garda........

A northern website Belfast Daily reported that the Chief [Servicetable] of the provincial Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) (An Serbhís Poílíní na Tuarscírt Éireann (SPTÉ) had requested reinforcements from the Commissioner of the national police - Án Gárda Síochána na h'Éireann (ÁGSÉ) "to put down the loyalist uprising". Claim was denied by respective head honchoes, as also NI Justice Min David Ford. Commissioner was quoted in the northern nationalist quality tabloid The Irish News as saying that there are no ÁGSÉ personnel on the ground in NI at present. Does that mean there were in the past and may be in the future. Or that they are in the air?

Well stated Stephendoyle. If ever there was a clearer example of trouble just for the sake of troubles sake. Its no longer hidden... mystically buried in the seams of yesterdays changing winds. Its just folks being shitty...why? Becuase Thats what they do.

Tis a sweet day upon us. The loyalist have fallen into the " Damned if you do, Damned if you don't" trap. Now who looks like the mindless hooligans? Keep it up, your support base is dwindling!