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Tuesday, 01 September 2009

East Belfast violence condemned

Police come under attack during rioting on Monday night

Politicians have condemned the violence which broke out in east Belfast on Monday night.

Around 200 republicans and loyalists clashed after trouble flared at an event to celebrate the closure of a police station.

Missiles and other objects were thrown between opposing gangs and at PSNI officers during the violence on the Albertbridge Road in east Belfast.

The road was closed as police tried to restore calm.

Tensions surfaced when a group of republicans gathered at Mountpottinger police station to mark its final day in operation.

The station was one of 26 the Policing Board agreed earlier this month to sell off to the private sector on the recommendation of Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde.

The building is near a notorious interface between the republican enclave of Short Strand and the loyalist Newtownards and Albertbridge Road areas.

Residents in Short Strand have long been campaigning for the station's closure and had hailed the Policing Board's decision as a great victory.

'Reckless'

Police come under attack during rioting in east Belfast

Speaking on U105, DUP MLA Robin Newton said: "Bringing people on to the streets in this foolhardy and reckless manner, the excuse being the celebration of the closure of a police station, has led to the riot and indeed a situation that has got out of control."

But Sinn Fein representative Niall Ó Donnghaile has denied claims that the rally led to the trouble.

"The logic of the rally was explained well in advance, the PSNI were aware of it, and it was also held in the middle of the area, as opposed to an interface," he said.

"I believe and stand over the fact that the people are entitled to celebrate the closure of Mountpottinger given its legacy."

'Unjustified'

A police spokesman said officers had discharged a number of baton rounds during the disturbances. He said no arrests had been made and there were no reports of injuries.

Mr Ó Donnghaile said that the use of plastic bullets by the PSNI was completely unjustified.

He also spoke out about an attack on his family home by, what he referred to as "anti-social elements from within the Short Strand community".

He added: "These are the same anti-social elements who were involved in the interface trouble, which has been ongoing for the past number of weeks. Those involved in such activity are serving no purpose other than attacking the Short Strand community."

SDLP Deputy Leader Alasdair McDonnell has launched a scathing attack on the decision by Sinn Fein to hold a protest in the area on a Bank Holiday, saying it was "madness".

He added: "Now Sinn Fein spokesmen are claiming the protest had no connection with the rioting. This is nonsense, the same sort of pernicious nonsense we used to hear from the marching orders after their coat-trailing parades led to violence. Not only could this violence be predicted, it was predicted."

'Kiddy rioting'

"If Sinn Fein is once again sponsoring interface kiddy rioting in order to compete with the dissidents for community control, we are in a very dangerous situation. It would send a strong signal that they have abandoned even the lip service they have paid to the concept of a shared future and settled once more for ghetto politics." he said.

Mr McDonnell also said: "More than two years into devolution, Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinsion are still blocking publication of the Shared Future (Cohesion, Sharing and Integration) strategy. Hugh Orde was right to raise this failure by Sinn Fein and the DUP in his last word on policing.

"It may suit the DUP to block progress, but why is Sinn Fein playing along while local spokesmen are trotting out all the old lines about heavy-handed policing?" He asked.

Police come under attack during rioting in east Belfast

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26 Comments

At 10:17 on 03 September 2009, Steven - Edinburgh wrote:

I'm certainly not rejoycing. I want good quality policing by the PSNI too, and we're getting there. Who will take over law and order? The same people who had it for the last 4 years, when the station stopped being used. The PSNI. I understand the sadness of losing a police station - just like losing a post office. But if the PSNI don't make the savings, the UK gov will appoint accountants to force redundancies. What good is a station when you have no officers? The building itself won't stop any crimes.

At 14:15 on 02 September 2009, lorna wrote:

Steven from Edinburgh. When they close down Police stations who takes over law and order in that area? And how are the police able to make friends and win the hearts and minds of the people when they operate miles away for that area. We see in places like Garvagh and Kilrea that windows are broken by thugs in the early hours. What happened in south Armagh when the motorists were stopped by the real IRA, this is who could come in and take over and police the area themselves. When people say they support the police now they should have a local bobby on the beat there is no longer any danger to him, you say it would save money, I say cost effecting during the troubles only added to the troubles. All i'm saying is it is sad when the locals lose their Police station and it is not a time to rejoice, but i see who is rejoicing.

At 13:07 on 02 September 2009, Steven - Edinburgh wrote:

Lorna, I agree fully with the need for police on the ground. But the closure of a disused police station is a different issue. Closing such stations has only cost-saving effects meaning you get more police on the streets. I've repeatedly said this, the stations are not being used anyway and so are not causing or preventing any crimes or riots. They should be sold. It's a really easy concept, why don't you understand it?

At 04:57 on 02 September 2009, Danii wrote:

I have just moved from N.I, and to hear of these events happening is quite shocking, to say.

At 01:39 on 02 September 2009, Please Get Real People wrote:

The scenes on Monday night were a disgrace. When will the hoods realise that the silent majority do not want, and have never wanted, our great city to be portrayed across the world like this? To the so-called republicans rioting - your leaders gave up on using violence as a means to get a United Ireland. When will you catch yourselves on and realise that you are better served by politics and persuasion alone? To the so- called loyalists causing trouble - who are you loyal too? I drove past on Tuesday evening and guess what - the hoods were out again - Rangers scarves over their faces and carrying sticks. You are really big men (or 12-14 year old boys I mean). If you want to be loyal and protect your community, keep your record clean and join the forces you wasters! Then we will see how really big you are. You are not worthy to stand under the red, white and blue!

At 22:47 on 01 September 2009, lorna wrote:

Steven from Edinburgh. The more Police station cose down the more likely the hoods run riot in that area and when the Police finely get there it is mostly too late. We need more Police on the ground and in touch with the local area but instead of law and order getting better it has not improved because there is a short fall in Police recruits. What worries me is when trouble breaks out it could lead to what we had in the past as no lessons has be learned and riots start at the drop of a hat.

At 21:50 on 01 September 2009, Cathy wrote:

Funny how Sinn Fein are always quick top condemn the use of baton rounds but keen to defend themsleves. If there had been no 'celeration' of the closure of Mountpottinger then there would not have been disturbances in this scale. Yes, every night there are problems here but not to the extent of last night. Why can't Sinn Fein face up to the fact that because their rally, they more or less caused the trouble and were largely to blame. Celebrating the closure of a Police station does not warrant this, I am sure the Police did not want to work in such a hostile area anyway. Sinn Fein are slowly losing the support of their communities and obviously have no control whatsoever on such elements within their own areas. Sure it was the same story at the Ardoyne on the 13th, starting to waer a bit thin now........