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| Belfast flag protests: Youths "led by the nose" to jail | Belfast flag protests: Youths "led by the nose" to jail |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People organising riots are leading young people "by the nose towards prison", Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Matt Baggott has said. | People organising riots are leading young people "by the nose towards prison", Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Matt Baggott has said. |
| It follows another weekend of disorder after some union flag protests. | It follows another weekend of disorder after some union flag protests. |
| Mr Baggott defended a police operation on Saturday when a "breakaway crowd" of loyalist protesters marched past a nationalist area in east Belfast. | Mr Baggott defended a police operation on Saturday when a "breakaway crowd" of loyalist protesters marched past a nationalist area in east Belfast. |
| "Residents should not have been put through that. I'm sorry they were put through that trauma," he said. | "Residents should not have been put through that. I'm sorry they were put through that trauma," he said. |
| He warned those taking part in the riots "a knock on the door was coming". | He warned those taking part in the riots "a knock on the door was coming". |
| Mr Baggott said that police estimated more than 4,000 people took part in street protests on Friday across Northern Ireland. | Mr Baggott said that police estimated more than 4,000 people took part in street protests on Friday across Northern Ireland. |
| Some descended into rioting, with police attacked in Rathcoole in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus in County Antrim and in east Belfast. | Some descended into rioting, with police attacked in Rathcoole in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus in County Antrim and in east Belfast. |
| Twenty-nine police officers were injured at the weekend in rioting at east Belfast's Short Strand interface. One remains in hospital. | Twenty-nine police officers were injured at the weekend in rioting at east Belfast's Short Strand interface. One remains in hospital. |
| It followed a loyalist protest over the decision to restrict the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall. | It followed a loyalist protest over the decision to restrict the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall. |
| Mr Baggott said that "sweeping protesters" off the streets would not work. | Mr Baggott said that "sweeping protesters" off the streets would not work. |
| "Even when the PSNI was 12,000 strong it would have not have been possible to take such a rigid approach towards protests. Our approach has always been to be measured and responsible - we have simply to put public safety first." he said. | "Even when the PSNI was 12,000 strong it would have not have been possible to take such a rigid approach towards protests. Our approach has always been to be measured and responsible - we have simply to put public safety first." he said. |
| He said that the parades were not being properly regulated. | He said that the parades were not being properly regulated. |
| "I want to see an absolute reassertion of the rule of law in relation to the Parades Commision's position," he said. | "I want to see an absolute reassertion of the rule of law in relation to the Parades Commision's position," he said. |
| "You can't have public safety and unregulated parades - they don't go together. I want to see a total assertion again that the only way to allow peaceful protest must be through proper notification, proper planning and proper regulation and that needs to a universal voice across politics and from those who are community activists." | "You can't have public safety and unregulated parades - they don't go together. I want to see a total assertion again that the only way to allow peaceful protest must be through proper notification, proper planning and proper regulation and that needs to a universal voice across politics and from those who are community activists." |
| Mr Baggott said his overwhelming sentiment and those of the vast majority of people is sadness. | Mr Baggott said his overwhelming sentiment and those of the vast majority of people is sadness. |
| "Sadness that we've seen another weekend of disorder, another weekend where inevitably as the weeks unfold, young people predominantly being brought before the courts with their lives being blighted by criminal convictions," he said. | "Sadness that we've seen another weekend of disorder, another weekend where inevitably as the weeks unfold, young people predominantly being brought before the courts with their lives being blighted by criminal convictions," he said. |
| Riot police separated a crowd of about 200 loyalists from a nationalist crowd from the Short Strand area on Sunday night. | Riot police separated a crowd of about 200 loyalists from a nationalist crowd from the Short Strand area on Sunday night. |
| Joe O'Donnell, director of the Belfast Interface Project, said keeping rival groups apart is vital, or years of cross-community work will be destroyed. | Joe O'Donnell, director of the Belfast Interface Project, said keeping rival groups apart is vital, or years of cross-community work will be destroyed. |
| "If the protests are to continue a good step would be to move them back from interface areas," Mr O'Donnell said. | "If the protests are to continue a good step would be to move them back from interface areas," Mr O'Donnell said. |
| "That would immediately start to bring a calm to the situation. | "That would immediately start to bring a calm to the situation. |
| "It would give an opportunity for people to begin to engage, to try and talk to each other, to try and rebuild, to ease the tensions and to try and pick up the pieces." | "It would give an opportunity for people to begin to engage, to try and talk to each other, to try and rebuild, to ease the tensions and to try and pick up the pieces." |
| Northern Ireland's politicians have been condemning the continuing street protests. During a debate at Stormont Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness alleged that two senior UVF figures were involved in orchestrating the disorder were well known drug pushers. | Northern Ireland's politicians have been condemning the continuing street protests. During a debate at Stormont Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness alleged that two senior UVF figures were involved in orchestrating the disorder were well known drug pushers. |
| Tourism Minister Arlene Foster told the Assembly she was "incredibly frustrated" by the scenes of violence being shown around the world. | Tourism Minister Arlene Foster told the Assembly she was "incredibly frustrated" by the scenes of violence being shown around the world. |
| Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce is to meet later this week to discuss the effects of the ongoing protests on business. | Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce is to meet later this week to discuss the effects of the ongoing protests on business. |
| The chamber said they are causing continuing hardship for the business community. | The chamber said they are causing continuing hardship for the business community. |
| The meeting has been arranged to hear first hand from business owners. | The meeting has been arranged to hear first hand from business owners. |
| Senior leaders of a loyalist paramilitary group have said violent opposition to the union flag decision must stop. | Senior leaders of a loyalist paramilitary group have said violent opposition to the union flag decision must stop. |
| A senior Ulster Defence Association (UDA) figure said loyalists were playing into Sinn Féin's hands. | A senior Ulster Defence Association (UDA) figure said loyalists were playing into Sinn Féin's hands. |
| Jimmy Birch, from the organisation in east Belfast, was speaking in an interview for a BBC Radio Ulster documentary, Inside The Flag Protests. | Jimmy Birch, from the organisation in east Belfast, was speaking in an interview for a BBC Radio Ulster documentary, Inside The Flag Protests. |
| "Every time they call a tune, we take to the streets," he said. | "Every time they call a tune, we take to the streets," he said. |
| "We are wrecking our own areas, we fight with the police, we are burning our own cars and we stop our own people going to work and coming home from work and disrupt our own people's way of life. | "We are wrecking our own areas, we fight with the police, we are burning our own cars and we stop our own people going to work and coming home from work and disrupt our own people's way of life. |
| "It is wrong, we need to step back and we need to stop being predictable." | "It is wrong, we need to step back and we need to stop being predictable." |
| Mr Birch said UDA members had been told not to take part in rioting. | Mr Birch said UDA members had been told not to take part in rioting. |
| Meanwhile, at least 1,000 people gathered outside Belfast City Hall at lunchtime on Sunday to protest against the violence. | Meanwhile, at least 1,000 people gathered outside Belfast City Hall at lunchtime on Sunday to protest against the violence. |
| There were no speeches, but for five minutes they clapped, cheered, whistled, and banged drums in what they called an "anti-silence". | There were no speeches, but for five minutes they clapped, cheered, whistled, and banged drums in what they called an "anti-silence". |
| People said they were representing "the silent majority" who were opposed to violence and trouble. | People said they were representing "the silent majority" who were opposed to violence and trouble. |
| Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for almost six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to change its longstanding union flag policy on 3 December. | Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for almost six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to change its longstanding union flag policy on 3 December. |
| The council, which now has more nationalist members than unionists and with the Alliance party holding the balance of power, voted to fly the flag at Belfast City Hall on a number of designated days, rather than every day of the year. | |
| The majority of the street demonstrations have passed without incident, but some have resulted in serious rioting in which 101 police officers have been injured. | |
| To date 112 people have been arrested, of whom 85 have been charged. | To date 112 people have been arrested, of whom 85 have been charged. |