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Orange Order says police have questions to answer on riots | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Orange Order has said the police have serious questions to answer over the weekend's rioting in Belfast. | |
In their first statement since trouble erupted on Friday night the Order said it had been consistent and unambiguous in its appeals that violence had no place in the planned protests. | |
A police officer was injured during a third night of trouble in north Belfast. | |
Officers were attacked in the Woodvale area of the city. | |
It followed an earlier stand-off involving loyalists, some Orangemen and police at Twaddell Avenue opposite the nationalist Ardoyne shop fronts. | It followed an earlier stand-off involving loyalists, some Orangemen and police at Twaddell Avenue opposite the nationalist Ardoyne shop fronts. |
The disturbances started just before midnight. They were sporadic and lasted for less than an hour. | The disturbances started just before midnight. They were sporadic and lasted for less than an hour. |
It started with a small number of petrol bombs being thrown by a crowd of youths along the Woodvale Road - where the Orange Order was blocked by police from walking up on the Twelfth, and the scene of more intense rioting on the previous two nights. | It started with a small number of petrol bombs being thrown by a crowd of youths along the Woodvale Road - where the Orange Order was blocked by police from walking up on the Twelfth, and the scene of more intense rioting on the previous two nights. |
Officers on foot and in police Land Rovers then went down the Woodvale Road towards Ballygomartin. | Officers on foot and in police Land Rovers then went down the Woodvale Road towards Ballygomartin. |
A stand-off developed and the police came under attack again with heavy masonry, bricks and bottles as well as some fireworks. | A stand-off developed and the police came under attack again with heavy masonry, bricks and bottles as well as some fireworks. |
Earlier an officer was injured when police went in to seize a stash of petrol bombs and they briefly came under attack. | Earlier an officer was injured when police went in to seize a stash of petrol bombs and they briefly came under attack. |
The stand-off between police and more than 100 loyalist protesters - some of them Orangemen - at Twaddell Avenue broke up peacefully. | The stand-off between police and more than 100 loyalist protesters - some of them Orangemen - at Twaddell Avenue broke up peacefully. |
In a separate incident, five people - all male - aged between 15 and 25 were arrested following violence in the O'Neills Road area of Newtownabbey. | In a separate incident, five people - all male - aged between 15 and 25 were arrested following violence in the O'Neills Road area of Newtownabbey. |
There was also some minor trouble in the loyalist Mount Vernon area of north Belfast where a car was burnt out and a barrier erected. | There was also some minor trouble in the loyalist Mount Vernon area of north Belfast where a car was burnt out and a barrier erected. |
The Shore Road at its junction with Mount Vernon is now passable with care. | The Shore Road at its junction with Mount Vernon is now passable with care. |
Forty-four police officers have been injured during the three nights of rioting and 49 arrests made. | Forty-four police officers have been injured during the three nights of rioting and 49 arrests made. |
A number of people appeared at a special court sitting in Belfast over the weekend. | A number of people appeared at a special court sitting in Belfast over the weekend. |
'Stay off the streets' | 'Stay off the streets' |
Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said Sunday night's violence was not as severe as the previous nights. | Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said Sunday night's violence was not as severe as the previous nights. |
"People just need to be calm and they just need to stay off the streets for the next few nights," he said. | "People just need to be calm and they just need to stay off the streets for the next few nights," he said. |
"There is a volatility out there that's very obvious to the people who have been on the streets of north Belfast. | "There is a volatility out there that's very obvious to the people who have been on the streets of north Belfast. |
"If you bring people out onto the streets, you need to have calm and you need to have control and we didn't see either of those things over the weekend. | "If you bring people out onto the streets, you need to have calm and you need to have control and we didn't see either of those things over the weekend. |
"We will continue to make arrests over the next few nights and we will put courts on every single day if we need to." | "We will continue to make arrests over the next few nights and we will put courts on every single day if we need to." |
Justice Minister David Ford said he had talked to one of the mutual aid officers from another UK police service who told him in a short time on the frontline a laser had been shone at him, a petrol bomb thrown at him and he saw a PSNI officer fire a plastic bullet at rioters. | Justice Minister David Ford said he had talked to one of the mutual aid officers from another UK police service who told him in a short time on the frontline a laser had been shone at him, a petrol bomb thrown at him and he saw a PSNI officer fire a plastic bullet at rioters. |
"People need to be aware of the consequences - to the image of Northern Ireland, to the police officers who are injured and to the lives of those getting involved," Mr Ford said. | "People need to be aware of the consequences - to the image of Northern Ireland, to the police officers who are injured and to the lives of those getting involved," Mr Ford said. |
"They are criminals. They are carrying out acts of violence and people should help identify them." | "They are criminals. They are carrying out acts of violence and people should help identify them." |
'Cool heads' | 'Cool heads' |
Earlier on Sunday, Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson appealed for an end to the violence. | Earlier on Sunday, Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson appealed for an end to the violence. |
Mr Robinson said: "It's very important that cool heads prevail in these circumstances and I hope people will obey the announcement and statement by the Orange institution that people should desist from violence." | Mr Robinson said: "It's very important that cool heads prevail in these circumstances and I hope people will obey the announcement and statement by the Orange institution that people should desist from violence." |
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said the Orange leadership should reflect on its role in the run-up to the Twelfth. | Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said the Orange leadership should reflect on its role in the run-up to the Twelfth. |
"They have emphasised that they wanted their protest to be peaceful," she said. | "They have emphasised that they wanted their protest to be peaceful," she said. |
"But they were warned by the chief constable that encouraging thousands of people onto the streets at a time of real tension involved significant risks." | "But they were warned by the chief constable that encouraging thousands of people onto the streets at a time of real tension involved significant risks." |