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| Riots erupt in Belfast hours after Hillary Clinton condemns violence | Riots erupt in Belfast hours after Hillary Clinton condemns violence |
| (7 days later) | |
| Rioting broke out in Belfast hours after Hillary Clinton had expressed solidarity with a female Northern Ireland MP who has received death threats in the fallout from a decision to limit the flying of the union flag at Belfast city hall. | Rioting broke out in Belfast hours after Hillary Clinton had expressed solidarity with a female Northern Ireland MP who has received death threats in the fallout from a decision to limit the flying of the union flag at Belfast city hall. |
| Despite appeals from Clinton for an end to violence, hundreds of loyalists took to the streets in protest. | Despite appeals from Clinton for an end to violence, hundreds of loyalists took to the streets in protest. |
| Two police officers were injured, and one hospitalised, during clashes close to the city centre. Trouble flared near Queen's University after a man tried to drive a van through a loyalist roadblock manned by about 200 people. | Two police officers were injured, and one hospitalised, during clashes close to the city centre. Trouble flared near Queen's University after a man tried to drive a van through a loyalist roadblock manned by about 200 people. |
| A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said "a vehicle was driven erratically in the Shaftesbury Square area during minor disturbances". There were also reports of trouble close to city hall between loyalists and police. | A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said "a vehicle was driven erratically in the Shaftesbury Square area during minor disturbances". There were also reports of trouble close to city hall between loyalists and police. |
| About 80 loyalists in Derry also blocked a main road out of the city in solidarity with their counterparts in Belfast. | About 80 loyalists in Derry also blocked a main road out of the city in solidarity with their counterparts in Belfast. |
| Earlier Clinton had spoken about death threats aimed at East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long. Clinton said: "I know her and am distressed about her and attacks on Alliance. It's unacceptable. Democracy requires dialogue, compromise and constant commitment by everyone to protect the rights of everyone." | Earlier Clinton had spoken about death threats aimed at East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long. Clinton said: "I know her and am distressed about her and attacks on Alliance. It's unacceptable. Democracy requires dialogue, compromise and constant commitment by everyone to protect the rights of everyone." |
| Long confirmed that police had warned her that there was a threat against her over her party's critical vote at Monday's vote on Belfast city council that ended the policy of flying the union flag 365 days a year. The non-sectarian centrist Alliance, a sister party of the Liberal Democrats, holds the balance of power between unionists and nationalists on the council. | Long confirmed that police had warned her that there was a threat against her over her party's critical vote at Monday's vote on Belfast city council that ended the policy of flying the union flag 365 days a year. The non-sectarian centrist Alliance, a sister party of the Liberal Democrats, holds the balance of power between unionists and nationalists on the council. |
| Long said: "This is not an attack on an individual or on a party, but a wanton attack on the democratic process. It is long past time that this vicious campaign of intimidation and violence was brought to a permanent end." | Long said: "This is not an attack on an individual or on a party, but a wanton attack on the democratic process. It is long past time that this vicious campaign of intimidation and violence was brought to a permanent end." |
| First minister Peter Robinson and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness joined Clinton in condemning the threats. | First minister Peter Robinson and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness joined Clinton in condemning the threats. |
| With Belfast preparing for another loyalist protest on Saturday – one of the busiest shopping days of the year – the threat from republican dissidents was also underlined by the discovery of a new type of horizontally fired mortar. The weapon, known as an explosively formed projectile, is said to be similar to devices used by Islamic insurgents to kill UK and US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It contains a warhead able to pierce an armoured vehicle and kill those inside. | With Belfast preparing for another loyalist protest on Saturday – one of the busiest shopping days of the year – the threat from republican dissidents was also underlined by the discovery of a new type of horizontally fired mortar. The weapon, known as an explosively formed projectile, is said to be similar to devices used by Islamic insurgents to kill UK and US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It contains a warhead able to pierce an armoured vehicle and kill those inside. |
| It was discovered in a car stopped by a police patrol in the Creggan area of Derry on Friday night. Four men in their 40s were arrested in the security operation, three inside the car and another nearby. | It was discovered in a car stopped by a police patrol in the Creggan area of Derry on Friday night. Four men in their 40s were arrested in the security operation, three inside the car and another nearby. |
| The latest find also shows how improvised weapons-making technology first devised by the IRA in Ireland has come "home". Much of the IRA's know-how for improvised weapons was exported to the Middle East to organisations such as Hezbollah and was later used to target allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. | The latest find also shows how improvised weapons-making technology first devised by the IRA in Ireland has come "home". Much of the IRA's know-how for improvised weapons was exported to the Middle East to organisations such as Hezbollah and was later used to target allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| Chief Supt Stephen Martin of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in Derry said the weapon was going to be used to try to kill police officers in the city. He said the arrest operation was "proactive", targeting dissident republican activity. He added: "Clearly it is a worrying development. This is a device which is designed for one purpose and that's to kill." | Chief Supt Stephen Martin of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in Derry said the weapon was going to be used to try to kill police officers in the city. He said the arrest operation was "proactive", targeting dissident republican activity. He added: "Clearly it is a worrying development. This is a device which is designed for one purpose and that's to kill." |
| The last five days have been among the most de-stabilising and challenging in recent years for Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive, with the cross-community Alliance – a partner in government with unionists and nationalists – openly accusing political unionism of winding up the violent mobs. | The last five days have been among the most de-stabilising and challenging in recent years for Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive, with the cross-community Alliance – a partner in government with unionists and nationalists – openly accusing political unionism of winding up the violent mobs. |
| An emergency debate is to be held at Stormont on Monday to discuss the issue and the violence sparked by the decision to limit flag-flying to 17 days a year. | An emergency debate is to be held at Stormont on Monday to discuss the issue and the violence sparked by the decision to limit flag-flying to 17 days a year. |
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