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Belfast riots continue as flag flies for Kate's birthday Belfast riots continue as flag flies for Kate's birthday
(about 1 hour later)
The union flag was flying over Belfast city hall on Wednesday morning to mark the Duchess of Cambridge's birthday. The union flag was back atop Belfast city hall on Wednesday to mark the Duchess of Cambridge's birthday as the secretary of state accused loyalists of holding Northern Ireland to ransom.
A special meeting of unionist representatives in Northern Ireland has been called in a bid to end loyalist unrest over the decision to only raise the flag on 18 designated days a year. Unionist politicians involved in trying to defuse the dispute that has resulted in riots and disturbances since December hope that the reappearance of the flag will halt the protests.
Loyalists pelted police with bottles and stones in a fresh outbreak of violence in the east of the city on Tuesday night amid warnings that potential investors are turning away because of the street disturbances. There was a sixth consecutive night of violence in east Belfast on Tuesday with petrol bombs and bricks thrown at police riot squad officers following further demonstrations against the council's decision to restrict the number of days that union flag is flown at city hall to 17 days in the year.
With riot police again facing hundreds of masked men around the lower Newtownards Road area, there was no sign of a halt to the protests. Fireworks, rocks, golf balls and petrol bombs were fired at police lines on the sixth consecutive night of violence in the confined flashpoint area of east Belfast. Among the other days the union flag will fly will be on St Patrick's Day, which has become a major celebration of nationalist culture in Belfast over the past 20 years.
The Northern Ireland first minister, Peter Robinson, confirmed that representatives of the various unionist parties will meet at Stormont on Thursday to discuss the disturbances, but protest leaders who are threatening to take their campaign on to the streets of Dublin on Saturday have said they want no part in the discussions. In response to a month of disorder that has resulted in more than 1,000 people arrested and dozens of police officers injured, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, has said the province was being "held to ransom by protesters" and called for an end to all street demonstrations over flags.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) claimed jobs would be lost and shops shut unless there was an immediate end to the trouble. Her Labour shadow, Vernon Coaker, said the disturbances had become a matter of "national security" after the police said senior loyalist paramilitaries had been involved in the rioting.
The CBI Northern Ireland director, Nigel Smyth, warned: "We are already aware of investors who have lost interest because of these disruptions." Meanwhile the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned that jobs could be lost if a solution to the flag issue was not found quickly, as many businesses including restaurants continued to suffer.
The unrest has continued intermittently since Belfast city council's decision last month to reduce the number of days the flag flies to 18 days. Sixty-six officers have been hurt and 104 arrests made since the protests started a month ago. The CBI Northern Ireland director, Nigel Smyth, said: "We are already aware of investors who have lost interest because of these disruptions."
Businesses, especially restaurant owners, said the disruption has had a disastrous impact on trade. Although Wednesday marks a respite in the dispute, further street protests are planned by loyalists for the end of this week, including a demonstration outside the Irish parliament in Dublin on Saturday.