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Home Page > News > News From Ireland > Loyalists attempt to murder policeman as flag row violence escalates

Loyalists attempt to murder policeman as flag row violence escalates

Police car petrol bombed outside Alliance Party office

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 7:24 AM

Updated Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 9:28 AM

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Loyalist protesters hold up a banner that reads "Ulster is British, no surrender" outside the city hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Photo by AFP/ Peter Muhly

Police in Belfast have described a petrol bomb attack on a patrol car as ‘attempted murder’ as violent protests over the Union flag continue across Northern Ireland.

An officer protecting an Alliance party deputy was attacked on Monday on another night of rioting and sporadic violence.

The policeman was sitting in an unmarked car outside the offices of MP Naomi Long when a gang of 15 loyalist thugs attacked.

They tossed a petrol bomb into his unmarked vehicle after surrounding and smashing it outside Alliance Party offices.

Loyalists have targeted the Alliance Party after they voted in favour of only flying the Union Flag at Belfast’s City Hall on 17 specified dates every year.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are viewing the petrol bomb attack on the officer as attempted murder.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: “The officer was lucky to escape with his life.

“This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries.”

Petrol bombs were also thrown at police in south Belfast, close to the M1 motorway.

Unionist politicians are to meet on Tuesday in an attempt to diffuse the crisis.

Alliance Party MP Long condemned the attack on the policeman and the ongoing violence.

She said: “There can be no justification for the attacks. If Northern Ireland is to move forward then we need a strict adherence to the rule of law and respect for the democratic process. We need this urgently before lives are lost.”

Nster.com

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29 Comments

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anglo-norman | Dec 12, 2012, 10:40 PM EST

sean- it's a fact son!!

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seanomelb | Dec 12, 2012, 05:46 PM EST

I feel like laughing out loud at the last pearl of bullsh#t.

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SeamusMartin | Dec 12, 2012, 02:39 PM EST

Blessed be the peacemakers. Why not offer the "British-Irish/Scottish/Welsh/English/or whatever" a chance to relocate. Like maybe a trade with homesick Irish whom are living on whatever one calls the island where England/Scotland/Wales are located and trade with the "British" in the six counties in Ulster. Well, at least it's another peaceful idea. Again... Blessed be the peacemakers.

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oldboreen | Dec 12, 2012, 02:17 PM EST

@ stevenstar- Why do 'we have enough problems running the south"? Whose fault is that? Successive Irish governments since 1922 have held Ireland back long before "the huge influx of Blacks, Muslims, Polish and eastern Europeans" ever set foot in the Republic. As for crimes and offences committed by these immigrants-care to give us some figures? Until Ireland is united, we cannot honestly call ourselves a fully sovereign nation! Or perhaps that doesn't matter to you. It certainly matters to me and I believe, a great many Irish!

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oldboreen | Dec 12, 2012, 11:55 AM EST

Northern Ireland is as much about two very distinct peoples, ie, indigenous Irish and Scots- English,laying claim to the same bit of a small island. Sure sectarianism is a separating factor, but essentially, it's a matter of 'This is ours, you have no right to be here'! Relatively small factions on both sides are not over-concerned with religious differences, it's all about territory!

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IrelandNorth | Dec 12, 2012, 06:26 AM EST

Belfast City Council is the seat of the Local Government of the capitol city of the 9 county province of Ulster/northern Ireland, as well as that of the 6 county neo-provincial statlet of Northern Ireland (NI) in north-eastern Ireland. Therefore, only the flags of Belfast City, County Antrim or Ulster should be flown atop Belfast City Hall. The union jack is not a national flag, but an intranational one.

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oldboreen | Dec 12, 2012, 05:31 AM EST

@leahkinsella-back to your history and geography school books please! Who gave you authority to relocate the boundary of the province of Ulster? Four provinces of Ireland, of which Ulster is but one. Happy to advise the constituent counties of each if you're interested. Unless I've missed something, there were still nine counties in Ulster when I last looked.

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curtisjohnson | Dec 11, 2012, 10:09 PM EST

" The motion to fly the Union flag only on certain days of the year only brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, in which it is not considered proper to fly the flag all the time. Not that I would expect ignorant unionist bombers to know that." Judging by their gross academic underperformance despite being handed all the advantages over their indigenous counterparts, I wouldn't expect them to know much of anything.

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AlunPalmer | Dec 11, 2012, 09:42 PM EST

The motion to fly the Union flag only on certain days of the year only brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, in which it is not considered proper to fly the flag all the time. Not that I would expect ignorant unionist bombers to know that.

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curtisjohnson | Dec 11, 2012, 09:32 PM EST

bobby – “Ulster is British??, Ulster has 9 counties, the vast majority of the people in Ulster are Irish. Fact.....” Excellent point – it always has been that way. From the outset, the gerrymandered and occupied six were an appalling mockery of "democracy."

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bobby | Dec 11, 2012, 07:40 PM EST

@leahkinsella, as they say in Ireland, You Dope. A couple or maybe in your case alot more of some geography lessons will do you some good. It must be very embarrassing for you when so many people see how THICK you are. Education is what you need. Good Luck.

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seanomelb | Dec 11, 2012, 05:46 PM EST

leah! wrong again as usual go back to grade 5 and re learn your geography.

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oldboreen | Dec 11, 2012, 05:42 PM EST

The 'Loyalists' are so proud of being British that they attack their own police. We shouldn't forget that under their then leaders Sir Edward Carson and James Craig, they were prepared to take on the British army in 1912-14. So no one should be surprised that their heirs are fighting British police now!

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Mortimer74 | Dec 11, 2012, 05:34 PM EST

Teresa Cross. Sorry, the Catholic Church is not repressive. You may not want to adhere to its teachings, in which case you are free to choose any one of the estimated 33,000 Protestant churches, or any other religion. I have many friends who went from Anglican to Anglican Catholic to Catholic. Including a minister. They are made welcome to the Church I have loved all my life and will do so till my last breath. With respect I grow weary of the people on here who seem to think it's a badge of honor to have left the Church, as if it was some grandiose achievement. They seem to be imbued with this weird martyr's mentality, and a need to rebel against something. It's really not about badges and making statements. It's about faith.

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oldboreen | Dec 11, 2012, 05:23 PM EST

@Teresa Cross. You left 'the repressive Catholic Church to become an Episcopalian (Anglo-Catholic)'Just a bit premature on your part I would suggest? Increasing numbers of that church are turning to the Anglican Ordinariate-ie,full communion with Rome while retaining Anglican liturgy.Not so 'repressive' then for many of your former co-religionists?

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