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Republicans blamed for starting east Belfast parade riot PSNI failed to protect Orange Order during east Belfast parade
(about 7 hours later)
Republicans have been blamed for starting a riot after a 12 July parade was attacked in east Belfast two years ago. A report has found police failed to protect the Orange Order from attack as they marched through Belfast in 2013.
The findings are contained in a Police Ombudsman report on the incident which is due to be made public on Friday. The findings are contained in a Police Ombudsman report which also blames republicans in the Short Strand area for rioting after a 12 July parade.
The parade came under attack as it passed St Matthew's Catholic Church at the Newtownards Road interface. Ballymacarrett District Orange Lodge complained to the ombudsman after their parade was attacked as they marched home along the Newtownards Road.
The Ombudsman found that the police failed to protect those on parade. The PSNI have apologised for how the parade was policed.
During a Policing Board meeting on Thursday, Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "Clearly on this occasion, we were unable to fulfil that responsibility because of failure in planning and deployments into the Short Strand.
"For that shortcoming I am sorry."
The PSNI said this was a learning issue for them when reviewing future tactics.
The parade was attacked as it passed St Matthew's Catholic Church at the Newtownards Road interface.
A decision was taken not to deploy officers in the grounds of the church as each community had agreed to self-police their own people.A decision was taken not to deploy officers in the grounds of the church as each community had agreed to self-police their own people.
The report also found that the initial attack came from the mainly nationalist Short Strand area. The lodge complained that police failed to protect its members who came under a sustained and pre-planned attack.
The PSNI has acknowledged that this is a learning issue for them when reviewing future tactics. They also alleged that police officers stood by and did nothing as they came under attack from people who were in the grounds of Saint Matthew's Church.
During a Policing Board meeting on Thursday, Chief Constable George Hamilton apologised for how the parade was policed. Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire concluded that police had failed to protect those taking part on the parade.
"Clearly on this occasion, we were unable to fulfil that responsibility because of failure in planning and deployments into the Short Strand - for that shortcoming I am sorry," he said. Dr Maguire said: "While I have found no evidence to suggest any individual officer was guilty of misconduct, it is clear that, for a number of reasons, police had not prepared for such an eventuality.
"My investigators have spoken to senior police officers who acknowledged some of the concerns raised and accept there are a number of lessons to be learned for the policing of future parades in the area."
However the ombudsman did not uphold all the allegations made.
Lodge members alleged that a police driver deliberately stopped his Land Rover, which had the effect of blocking the road, which in turn brought the parade to a halt and thereby facilitated the attack.
"The CCTV footage shows the driver had no option but to stop, due to the crowds of people who had emerged onto the road to greet the 'return' parade and had gathered directly in front of the vehicle," said Dr Maguire.
"Despite instructions from his senior officer to move as quickly as possible, the officer had to drive very slowly due to the crowd in front of him, some of whom were children.
"The fact the Land Rover had stopped did allow an opportunity for missiles to be thrown, but we found no evidence this was a deliberate tactic.
Ombudsman investigators found that police had decided not to position officers within the grounds of Saint Matthew's or within the Short Strand area:
"Documentation shows police felt that to place officers within what was regarded as sacred ground may have created unwelcome community perceptions," said Dr Maguire.
"They based their decision not to have officers in the wider area on the experiences of previous years and on agreements within each of the local communities.
"When trouble broke out the officers then tried to get into the church grounds, but the gates were locked. The police too were coming under attack and were trying to deploy resources to the area.
"Having examined all the evidence I would not agree that police officers stood by and did nothing to protect the marchers."