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| Loyalist protesters threaten Alliance party members at council meeting | Loyalist protesters threaten Alliance party members at council meeting |
| (4 months later) | |
| Loyalist demonstrators have invaded a town council meeting in Northern Ireland, threatening and hurling abuse at Alliance party members. | Loyalist demonstrators have invaded a town council meeting in Northern Ireland, threatening and hurling abuse at Alliance party members. |
| The Alliance party has been on the sharp end of loyalist protests over its critical vote at Belfast city hall that led to a restriction on flying the union flag in the city. The party's councillors and sole MP have received death threats and some Alliance members have been forced to flee their homes. | The Alliance party has been on the sharp end of loyalist protests over its critical vote at Belfast city hall that led to a restriction on flying the union flag in the city. The party's councillors and sole MP have received death threats and some Alliance members have been forced to flee their homes. |
| Five loyalists broke into Carrickfergus town hall in an incident which the Alliance described as a full frontal attack on democracy. The party added that it was disturbing that the loyalists had got into the council chamber unchallenged. | Five loyalists broke into Carrickfergus town hall in an incident which the Alliance described as a full frontal attack on democracy. The party added that it was disturbing that the loyalists had got into the council chamber unchallenged. |
| Noel Williams, an Alliance councillor in Carrickfergus, said: "It is unacceptable that the town hall was not under police surveillance, especially as violence has broken out at previous protests. | Noel Williams, an Alliance councillor in Carrickfergus, said: "It is unacceptable that the town hall was not under police surveillance, especially as violence has broken out at previous protests. |
| "People have a right to protest peacefully, but this incident tonight put many people's safety at risk and must not be tolerated. We live in a democratic society and councillors were meeting tonight as part of this process." | "People have a right to protest peacefully, but this incident tonight put many people's safety at risk and must not be tolerated. We live in a democratic society and councillors were meeting tonight as part of this process." |
| The incident in Carrickfergus followed riots earlier this evening in south and east Belfast between loyalists and the police. The violent erupted after a series of sit-down protests that disrupted traffic along key arterial routes across Belfast. | The incident in Carrickfergus followed riots earlier this evening in south and east Belfast between loyalists and the police. The violent erupted after a series of sit-down protests that disrupted traffic along key arterial routes across Belfast. |
| One man has been arrested and a police officer injured during a riot involving 200 loyalists in the Sandy Row area near the centre of Belfast. There was also trouble at the Lower Newtownards Road in east Belfast, close to a sectarian interface. | One man has been arrested and a police officer injured during a riot involving 200 loyalists in the Sandy Row area near the centre of Belfast. There was also trouble at the Lower Newtownards Road in east Belfast, close to a sectarian interface. |
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