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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 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. | 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". | 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 as well as dogs. | |
| Police said they had reports that two members of the public had been injured. | 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. | 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. | A number of parked vehicles were also been set on fire in the North Street area. |
| Some loyalists accused the police of being heavy-handed. | |
| However, 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 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." | "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. | 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 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 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. |
| The DUP's Nelson McCausland said the republican parade had been designed to provoke a loyalist reaction. | |
| "We warned the secretary of state, the PSNI and the Parades Commission that this would happen but they ignored our warnings," he said. | |
| "They misjudged the situation and the image of Belfast has suffered badly. That is particularly frustrating because what happened was entirely avoidable." | |
| Numbers were restricted at four of them. | Numbers were restricted at four of them. |