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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Belfast flag riots continue for a fifth night | Belfast flag riots continue for a fifth night |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Loyalists have bombarded police with pieces of heavy masonry, petrol bombs and bricks in a fifth night of violence in east Belfast, as the loyalist dispute over flying the union flag raged on. | Loyalists have bombarded police with pieces of heavy masonry, petrol bombs and bricks in a fifth night of violence in east Belfast, as the loyalist dispute over flying the union flag raged on. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) responded with plastic baton rounds and water cannon to quell the trouble, which erupted after a protest rally at city hall against the council's policy only to fly the union flag on 17 designated days. | The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) responded with plastic baton rounds and water cannon to quell the trouble, which erupted after a protest rally at city hall against the council's policy only to fly the union flag on 17 designated days. |
| Just like the weekend, there are conflicting claims over the origins of the violence, with local loyalists claiming they came under attack first. | Just like the weekend, there are conflicting claims over the origins of the violence, with local loyalists claiming they came under attack first. |
| At one stage, there were clashes between loyalists and nationalists at the sectarian interface close to the Short Strand at Castlereagh Street and the Albertbridge Road earlier on Monday evening. Barricades were also set alight on the lower Newtownards Road while golf balls and petrol bombs were hurled at PSNI riot squad officers. Police also received reports of an attempted car hijacking in the Templemore Avenue area and an attempted lorry hijacking in the Albertbridge Road area. | At one stage, there were clashes between loyalists and nationalists at the sectarian interface close to the Short Strand at Castlereagh Street and the Albertbridge Road earlier on Monday evening. Barricades were also set alight on the lower Newtownards Road while golf balls and petrol bombs were hurled at PSNI riot squad officers. Police also received reports of an attempted car hijacking in the Templemore Avenue area and an attempted lorry hijacking in the Albertbridge Road area. |
| Four people – two men and two women – were arrested on Monday, bringing the numbers detained connected to disorder since the protest began last month to more than 100. | Four people – two men and two women – were arrested on Monday, bringing the numbers detained connected to disorder since the protest began last month to more than 100. |
| Earlier, petrol bombs were thrown at police lines further into east Belfast at Dundonald on the Newtownards Road. A car was also set alight in the same area. | Earlier, petrol bombs were thrown at police lines further into east Belfast at Dundonald on the Newtownards Road. A car was also set alight in the same area. |
| PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott also revealed that children as young as 10 and 11 were involved in attacking police lines. | PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott also revealed that children as young as 10 and 11 were involved in attacking police lines. |
| In response, Northern Ireland's commissioner for children and young people, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney, said she was "deeply worried" over the role of children in the rioting. | In response, Northern Ireland's commissioner for children and young people, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney, said she was "deeply worried" over the role of children in the rioting. |
| "I am concerned that children and young people are being exposed to serious risk and harm," she said. "To the irresponsible people who put children at risk, I say these issues cannot be settled or resolved by putting children at risk." | "I am concerned that children and young people are being exposed to serious risk and harm," she said. "To the irresponsible people who put children at risk, I say these issues cannot be settled or resolved by putting children at risk." |
| Lewsley-Mooney said she was also concerned that children arrested in the riots could end up with criminal convictions that could affect the rest of their lives. | Lewsley-Mooney said she was also concerned that children arrested in the riots could end up with criminal convictions that could affect the rest of their lives. |
| Earlier, Baggott condemned the way children as young as 10 were being allowed to take part in the riots. He said many were out on the streets "without parental control" and were at risk of "blighting their own future". | Earlier, Baggott condemned the way children as young as 10 were being allowed to take part in the riots. He said many were out on the streets "without parental control" and were at risk of "blighting their own future". |
| The demonstration at Belfast city hall passed off peacefully while councillors inside debated the decision to limit the number of days the union flag is flown on top of the building. The first of those days occurs on Wednesday, when the flag will be flown to mark the Duchess of Cambridge's 31st birthday. | The demonstration at Belfast city hall passed off peacefully while councillors inside debated the decision to limit the number of days the union flag is flown on top of the building. The first of those days occurs on Wednesday, when the flag will be flown to mark the Duchess of Cambridge's 31st birthday. |
| The flag issue was not on the formal agenda of Monday's meeting, but councillors spent an hour debating the matter. | The flag issue was not on the formal agenda of Monday's meeting, but councillors spent an hour debating the matter. |
| While some angry words were exchanged between councillors on opposing nationalist and unionist benches, the debate was generally even-tempered and well ordered. | While some angry words were exchanged between councillors on opposing nationalist and unionist benches, the debate was generally even-tempered and well ordered. |
| Sinn Féin's Jim McVeigh accused unionist politicians of failed leadership and said they had allowed themselves to be "led by the nose" by a small band of extremists. | Sinn Féin's Jim McVeigh accused unionist politicians of failed leadership and said they had allowed themselves to be "led by the nose" by a small band of extremists. |
| McVeigh said councillors would not be bowed by threats from loyalists. | McVeigh said councillors would not be bowed by threats from loyalists. |
| "We won't be intimidated by those threats," he said. "Their protests are pointless and they will have absolutely no impact on decisions that we take." | "We won't be intimidated by those threats," he said. "Their protests are pointless and they will have absolutely no impact on decisions that we take." |
| He said his party would respect British tradition but told unionists that respect was "not one way". | He said his party would respect British tradition but told unionists that respect was "not one way". |
| His claims were met with a vociferous response from unionists. | His claims were met with a vociferous response from unionists. |
| Robin Newton, Democratic Unionist councillor for east Belfast, accused McVeigh and Sinn Féin of "bulldozing" the flag vote through council. | Robin Newton, Democratic Unionist councillor for east Belfast, accused McVeigh and Sinn Féin of "bulldozing" the flag vote through council. |
| "It was purely a political decision, a pure political decision," he said, rejecting the claims that unionists had not shown leadership. | "It was purely a political decision, a pure political decision," he said, rejecting the claims that unionists had not shown leadership. |
| Newton also called on loyalists engaged in the protests to seek a political route to voice their grievances instead. | Newton also called on loyalists engaged in the protests to seek a political route to voice their grievances instead. |
| "All sections of the unionist community should involve themselves in politics in Northern Ireland," he said. | "All sections of the unionist community should involve themselves in politics in Northern Ireland," he said. |
| Amid deepening tensions in the province, the National Union of Journalists has confirmed that a reporter in Belfast has been sent a bullet in the post along with a threatening letter. NUJ president Barry McCall described the threat as "the latest in a series of despicable attempts to intimidate journalists in Northern Ireland". | Amid deepening tensions in the province, the National Union of Journalists has confirmed that a reporter in Belfast has been sent a bullet in the post along with a threatening letter. NUJ president Barry McCall described the threat as "the latest in a series of despicable attempts to intimidate journalists in Northern Ireland". |
| The threat to a reporter comes after an SDLP assembly member Patsy McGlone received a bullet and sympathy card in the post. McGlone said those behind the intimidation were "faceless fascists". | The threat to a reporter comes after an SDLP assembly member Patsy McGlone received a bullet and sympathy card in the post. McGlone said those behind the intimidation were "faceless fascists". |
| Alliance MP Naomi Long, party leader David Ford, councillor Gerardine Mulvenna and Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly and Alex Maskey were among those sent bullets in the post in recent times. | Alliance MP Naomi Long, party leader David Ford, councillor Gerardine Mulvenna and Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly and Alex Maskey were among those sent bullets in the post in recent times. |
| Ireland's deputy prime minister Eamon Gilmore called for an end to the violent protests. "These attacks over the past four days are not the mark of legitimate protest but are the actions of a small group who want to bring Northern Ireland back to a darker past," Gilmore said. | Ireland's deputy prime minister Eamon Gilmore called for an end to the violent protests. "These attacks over the past four days are not the mark of legitimate protest but are the actions of a small group who want to bring Northern Ireland back to a darker past," Gilmore said. |
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