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Police injured during Belfast parade protests | Police injured during Belfast parade protests |
(35 minutes later) | |
Disturbances are continuing in areas around North Street and Royal Avenue in Belfast city centre. | |
Earlier loyalist protesters prevented a republican parade from passing along Royal Avenue. | |
Police said they came under heavy and sustained attack by crowds "intent on creating disorder". | |
Four officers were injured, two of them needing hospital treatment. Police fired 20 plastic baton rounds and used two water cannon. | |
Police said they had reports that two members of the public had been injured. | |
Loyalist protesters attacked the police with bricks and bottles as they waited for the republican parade to arrive. | Loyalist protesters attacked the police with bricks and bottles as they waited for the republican parade to arrive. |
The protesters blocked Royal Avenue to prevent the republican parade getting through. | |
A number of parked vehicles were also been set on fire in the North Street area. | |
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "Whilst facilitating the Parades Commission determination for tonight's parade and associated protests, police have come under heavy and sustained attack by crowds intent on creating disorder. | |
"As Northern Ireland moves ahead, the effect of tonight's violence has the potential to damage the local economy and the reputation of Belfast as a tourist destination. | |
"As disturbances are continuing, I would call upon people of influence in communities and those in political leadership to do all possible to reduce tension." | |
The parade and the protesters later confronted each other about 100 metres apart in north Belfast. | |
What police have described as serious disorder took place in the Carrickhill, Peter's Hill and Millfield areas close to the city centre. | What police have described as serious disorder took place in the Carrickhill, Peter's Hill and Millfield areas close to the city centre. |
Police put in place a major operation ahead of the parade, involving hundreds of officers and dozens of vehicles. | Police put in place a major operation ahead of the parade, involving hundreds of officers and dozens of vehicles. |
The parade has since passed into west Belfast after protesters were pushed back towards the Shankill area. | |
The march, which started in north Belfast, marked the introduction of internment in 1971. | |
The Parades Commission had given permission for six loyalist protests against the parade. | The Parades Commission had given permission for six loyalist protests against the parade. |
Numbers were restricted at four of them. | Numbers were restricted at four of them. |