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| Charges after Holyland trouble | Charges after Holyland trouble |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Five people have been charged after disturbances in the Holyland student area of south Belfast. | Five people have been charged after disturbances in the Holyland student area of south Belfast. |
| The trouble started on Tuesday afternoon when police moved in to clear people who had gathered on a street during St Patrick's Day celebrations. | The trouble started on Tuesday afternoon when police moved in to clear people who had gathered on a street during St Patrick's Day celebrations. |
| Superintendent Chris Noble they took action when they came under attack. | Superintendent Chris Noble they took action when they came under attack. |
| "The response was proportionate, it was fair and residents were complimentary," he said. Nineteen arrests were made, and eight people subsequently released. | "The response was proportionate, it was fair and residents were complimentary," he said. Nineteen arrests were made, and eight people subsequently released. |
| Supt Noble said those detained were "idiots". | Supt Noble said those detained were "idiots". |
| "The initial indications are that a lot of the individuals had consumed a significant amount of alcohol in a limited period of time," he said. | "The initial indications are that a lot of the individuals had consumed a significant amount of alcohol in a limited period of time," he said. |
| Supt Noble said not all those arrested were students, however south Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said the universities had to act against those who did get into trouble. | Supt Noble said not all those arrested were students, however south Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said the universities had to act against those who did get into trouble. |
| "The two universities and Belfast Metropolitan College must take a very harsh line with people who behave like this," he said. | "The two universities and Belfast Metropolitan College must take a very harsh line with people who behave like this," he said. |
| "They have absolutely no right to behave like this. The way they treat the local people, the way they treat the people who try to live side-by-side with them is outrageous and cannot, and will not, be tolerated." | "They have absolutely no right to behave like this. The way they treat the local people, the way they treat the people who try to live side-by-side with them is outrageous and cannot, and will not, be tolerated." |
| Student residents insisted that a small minority were involved in the violence. | Student residents insisted that a small minority were involved in the violence. |
| Both universities condemned the trouble. Belfast provost of the University of Ulster, Alastair Adair, said he was "appalled by the mayhem and disorder". | Both universities condemned the trouble. Belfast provost of the University of Ulster, Alastair Adair, said he was "appalled by the mayhem and disorder". |
| "This was alcohol-fuelled, by and large," he said. | "This was alcohol-fuelled, by and large," he said. |
| "It may be that we have to take measures such as alcohol disorder zones as they have in England, where on certain days at certain times alcohol is prohibited." | "It may be that we have to take measures such as alcohol disorder zones as they have in England, where on certain days at certain times alcohol is prohibited." |
| Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, Gerry McCormac, said although no student had yet been expelled for bad behaviour, it remained an option open to the university. | |
| "There've been 200 students disciplined this year. One hundred and fifty of those have been warned, 50 fined severely," he said. | "There've been 200 students disciplined this year. One hundred and fifty of those have been warned, 50 fined severely," he said. |
| "We have expulsion on our books as an option, we go through a disciplinary process and if expulsion is the punishment that's required for a certain behaviour, we won't hesitate from using that." | "We have expulsion on our books as an option, we go through a disciplinary process and if expulsion is the punishment that's required for a certain behaviour, we won't hesitate from using that." |
| Local private homeowners said the disturbances proved there were too many shared houses, flats and multiple occupancies in the area. | Local private homeowners said the disturbances proved there were too many shared houses, flats and multiple occupancies in the area. |