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Loyalists protest in Belfast over union flag decision
Saturday, 08 December 2012
Today should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year in Belfast
Thousands of loyalists have gathered in Belfast city centre to voice their opposition to new restrictions on flying the union flag on city hall.
An Irish Tricolour was burned outside Belfast City Hall.
A major security operation is under way around the building.
Police said loyalist paramilitaries had organised some of the violence in recent days.
Last night, eight officers were injured and 13 people arrested in clashes between loyalists and police in Belfast.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has appealed to protesters to stay away from Belfast city centre today.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr urged those who have a legitimate right to protest to take a step back and stay out of the city centre.
"The risk to the public safety of all of those involved is simply too great," he said.
Traders are worried it could affect business on what should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
A children's walk, Christmas party and Santa planned by a charity for youngsters with heart disease have already been cancelled.
Violence erupted in towns across Northern Ireland this week after loyalists took to the streets to vent their anger.
Last night, six officers were injured as they dealt with disorder near Crumlin Road and Ligoneill Road in Belfast.
Trouble flared at Shaftesbury Square - a popular party spot near Queen's University - after a man tried to drive a black van through a loyalist road block of about 200 people.
Eye witnesses said police officers were pelted with stones, bricks, bottles and other missiles. A number of vehicles were also hijacked and set on fire.
PSNI water cannons were deployed, including one in O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey on the outskirts of north Belfast as a crowd of 70 people blocked the road and attacked police with bricks and masonry.
Cars there were also burnt outside the council offices, and hundreds of people attending a Christmas function had to be evacuated.
There were also reports of sporadic disorder in other parts of the city.
Mr Kerr said a total of 27 police officers had been injured during the unrest this week.
He said the behaviour was "simply not acceptable".
"This mob violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to continue and I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with community influence in these areas to do what they can to put a stop to this behaviour now before someone is seriously injured or killed," he added.
"My colleagues are providing a very strong presence and robust approach to this violent disorder and I can assure members of the public that we will not tolerate any form of criminal or violent activity. Those responsible will be brought to justice."
Loyalists opposed to a restriction on the number of days the Union flag can be flown over Belfast City Hall have held protests across Northern Ireland every night this week despite appeals from the First Minister, Peter Robinson, for the pickets to be suspended.
Last night demonstrations were also held in the greater Belfast area, Bangor, Co Down, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Dungannon, Co Tyrone and Ballymoney, Co Antrim. Police said there were no reports of violence outside Belfast.
The violence has overshadowed a visit to Northern Ireland by US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Mrs Clinton, who was a key figure in the peace process during the 1990s, appealed for calm.
Much of the anger has been directed towards the non-sectarian Alliance Party, whose councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the union flag could be flown over the city hall from 365 to 17.
A death threat against the party's only British MP, Naomi Long, marked a significant escalation in the seriousness of the sectarian tension.
On Wednesday, a constituency office in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, was destroyed in an arson attack. An attempt to burn down Bangor premises occupied by the Alliance Party's Employment Minister Stephen Farry was prevented.
Belfast City Councillor Laura McNamee was also advised to leave her home, while two others living in Bangor had their house vandalised.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mike Nesbitt, called on protesters to stop now.
"Anyone who attacks a police officer, anyone who riots, anyone who engages in illegal street protest, is disrespecting the values of the union flag," he said.
"Stop now. You are losing the argument."
Heres a flag you`s can fly outside City Hall.
Saturday, 08 December 2012
inShare1
Today should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year in Belfast
Thousands of loyalists have gathered in Belfast city centre to voice their opposition to new restrictions on flying the union flag on city hall.
An Irish Tricolour was burned outside Belfast City Hall.
A major security operation is under way around the building.
Police said loyalist paramilitaries had organised some of the violence in recent days.
Last night, eight officers were injured and 13 people arrested in clashes between loyalists and police in Belfast.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has appealed to protesters to stay away from Belfast city centre today.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr urged those who have a legitimate right to protest to take a step back and stay out of the city centre.
"The risk to the public safety of all of those involved is simply too great," he said.
Traders are worried it could affect business on what should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
A children's walk, Christmas party and Santa planned by a charity for youngsters with heart disease have already been cancelled.
Violence erupted in towns across Northern Ireland this week after loyalists took to the streets to vent their anger.
Last night, six officers were injured as they dealt with disorder near Crumlin Road and Ligoneill Road in Belfast.
Trouble flared at Shaftesbury Square - a popular party spot near Queen's University - after a man tried to drive a black van through a loyalist road block of about 200 people.
Eye witnesses said police officers were pelted with stones, bricks, bottles and other missiles. A number of vehicles were also hijacked and set on fire.
PSNI water cannons were deployed, including one in O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey on the outskirts of north Belfast as a crowd of 70 people blocked the road and attacked police with bricks and masonry.
Cars there were also burnt outside the council offices, and hundreds of people attending a Christmas function had to be evacuated.
There were also reports of sporadic disorder in other parts of the city.
Mr Kerr said a total of 27 police officers had been injured during the unrest this week.
He said the behaviour was "simply not acceptable".
"This mob violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to continue and I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with community influence in these areas to do what they can to put a stop to this behaviour now before someone is seriously injured or killed," he added.
"My colleagues are providing a very strong presence and robust approach to this violent disorder and I can assure members of the public that we will not tolerate any form of criminal or violent activity. Those responsible will be brought to justice."
Loyalists opposed to a restriction on the number of days the Union flag can be flown over Belfast City Hall have held protests across Northern Ireland every night this week despite appeals from the First Minister, Peter Robinson, for the pickets to be suspended.
Last night demonstrations were also held in the greater Belfast area, Bangor, Co Down, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Dungannon, Co Tyrone and Ballymoney, Co Antrim. Police said there were no reports of violence outside Belfast.
The violence has overshadowed a visit to Northern Ireland by US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Mrs Clinton, who was a key figure in the peace process during the 1990s, appealed for calm.
Much of the anger has been directed towards the non-sectarian Alliance Party, whose councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the union flag could be flown over the city hall from 365 to 17.
A death threat against the party's only British MP, Naomi Long, marked a significant escalation in the seriousness of the sectarian tension.
On Wednesday, a constituency office in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, was destroyed in an arson attack. An attempt to burn down Bangor premises occupied by the Alliance Party's Employment Minister Stephen Farry was prevented.
Belfast City Councillor Laura McNamee was also advised to leave her home, while two others living in Bangor had their house vandalised.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mike Nesbitt, called on protesters to stop now.
"Anyone who attacks a police officer, anyone who riots, anyone who engages in illegal street protest, is disrespecting the values of the union flag," he said.
"Stop now. You are losing the argument."
Heres a flag you`s can fly outside City Hall.
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