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| Northern Ireland police release riots video of community centre break-in | Northern Ireland police release riots video of community centre break-in |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police in Northern Ireland released CCTV footage on Wednesday of loyalist rioters breaking into a community centre that helps autistic children in order to attack riot squad officers. | |
| The film shows youths vandalising the building in east Belfast on Tuesday night during riots connected to the union flag dispute at the city hall. | The film shows youths vandalising the building in east Belfast on Tuesday night during riots connected to the union flag dispute at the city hall. |
| The centre, on Templemore Avenue, is being developed to house an advice centre and childcare facilities for autistic children. | |
| Rioters are seen smashing up parts of the building to create missiles to hurl at police officers guarding a sectarian boundary close to the Catholic Short Strand area. It was the sixth consecutive night of disorder in the east of the city sparked by protests against the Belfast city council decision to limit the number of days the union flag flies. | Rioters are seen smashing up parts of the building to create missiles to hurl at police officers guarding a sectarian boundary close to the Catholic Short Strand area. It was the sixth consecutive night of disorder in the east of the city sparked by protests against the Belfast city council decision to limit the number of days the union flag flies. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said officers were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks, bricks and golf balls on the Newtownards Road, before a crowd of about 150 protesters moved into Templemore Avenue. | The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said officers were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks, bricks and golf balls on the Newtownards Road, before a crowd of about 150 protesters moved into Templemore Avenue. |
| They said that "from helicopter footage it became clear that individuals had forcibly entered a building owned by East Belfast Community Development Agency". | They said that "from helicopter footage it became clear that individuals had forcibly entered a building owned by East Belfast Community Development Agency". |
| The PSNI added that officers entered the street to "physically move the crowd away from the community building". | The PSNI added that officers entered the street to "physically move the crowd away from the community building". |
| Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum said: "Last night we saw a number of people on the streets who were intent on engaging in violence. | Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum said: "Last night we saw a number of people on the streets who were intent on engaging in violence. |
| "They showed no regard for the local community and forcibly entered a premises that is being developed as a multi-purpose community site." | "They showed no regard for the local community and forcibly entered a premises that is being developed as a multi-purpose community site." |
| He added: "Police are committed to bringing those who engage in criminal activity before the courts. Since last Thursday alone, 32 people have been arrested on a range of public disorder offences." | He added: "Police are committed to bringing those who engage in criminal activity before the courts. Since last Thursday alone, 32 people have been arrested on a range of public disorder offences." |
| The PSNI confirmed that 106 people had been arrested for rioting and other offences related to the flags dispute, while 62 of their officers had been injured. | The PSNI confirmed that 106 people had been arrested for rioting and other offences related to the flags dispute, while 62 of their officers had been injured. |
| The Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, accused the loyalist demonstrators of holding the whole of the province to ransom. | The Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, accused the loyalist demonstrators of holding the whole of the province to ransom. |
| Belfast was calmer on Wednesday partly because it was one of the designated days that the union flag flies over the city hall – to mark the birthday of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. | |
| However, the PSNI was bracing itself for more trouble later this week with a series of road blocks planned by loyalists across Greater Belfast and beyond on Friday evening, designed to cause traffic chaos on major arterial routes. | However, the PSNI was bracing itself for more trouble later this week with a series of road blocks planned by loyalists across Greater Belfast and beyond on Friday evening, designed to cause traffic chaos on major arterial routes. |