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Ardoyne riots 'organised to kill police'
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Burnt-out vehicles serve as a reminder of the ferocity of the violence in Ardoyne on Monday night as the clean-up operation took place in the streets of north Belfast yesterday
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Rioting in north Belfast during Twelfth night celebrations was orchestrated with the intent of murdering police officers, the PSNI has said.
Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay said the shooting of live rounds at police and the discovery of a rifle in the area was “a sinister development” and vowed to hunt down those responsible.
“It seemed to be part of the orchestration of this violence, that under the cover of the public disorder and riotous behaviour, at least one gunman emerged and fired at police — tried to kill police officers protecting the community. There were people in that area who intended killing police officers.
“It was extraordinarily dangerous up there for the officers, particularly from this sinister element. The police officers were disciplined, professional, courageous. They performed the duties they were trained to do with tact and restraint and only used offensive methods in very restricted circumstances which will be subject to review by the Police Ombudsman,” said Mr Finlay.
A total of 23 officers were injured after serious disturbances broke out across Northern Ireland on Monday night. The worst of the rioting was in Ardoyne in north Belfast where 21 of the 23 officers were injured. Mr Finlay said that none of the injuries were serious, however, one police officer was knocked unconscious. Sinn Fein has blamed the Real IRA for organising the violence.
Police were forced to respond to the rioters by using water cannon and firing plastic baton rounds for the first time in almost two years. Armed police officers were also in the area but did not open fire.
“They were there as a contingency to shoot at someone clearly identified as seeking to shoot at police. They were specialist fire arms officers who have particular training in decisions to shoot. That didn’t arise and we are very grateful for that.”
Mr Finlay revealed that the bill for Monday night’s police operation will run into tens of thousands of pounds.
“This is a lot of money that could have been used in many other ways in neighbourhood policing such as preventing burglary, apprehending low level drug dealers and things that affect communities that they want us to deal with. This takes a lot of resources away from key issues for policing in Northern Ireland,” he said.
Mr Finlay vowed that everything possible will be done to catch those responsible. Police are currently studying CCTV footage in a bid to identify the dissident republican rioters
“The investigation into this has already started. It is going to be painstaking. We are viewing video evidence and asking anyone with information to come forward. The investigation will take its course, it will take time, but we will move as quickly as we can to get evidence and make arrests and seek to make people amenable for the disturbances, particularly the intense violence and the shooting at police,” Mr Finlay said.
“We have not seen it on the streets of Northern Ireland for some years, we don't want to see it again,” he added.
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Comments
52 Comments
Sturart,
A petrol bomb can be made in 10 seconds..
I wouldnt go as far as saying planned!
Posted by Judy | 21.09.09, 12:20 GMT
Why are people so tolerant of violence?
Posted by Frank | 16.07.09, 20:18 GMT
"don't live in a crazy little corner of the world where people march around for 300 years in memory of defeating their neighbours"
Rememberance Sunday, VE day, VJ day, American Independance day??? Should all of these be abolished for fear of offence. Do British get offended in the USA on Independance Day?? Are German's hugely offended living in the UK on Remeberance Sunday??
All cultures have victories at one time or another, and for some they like to be remembered. Tolerance goes a long way...
Quick question, as a protestant British citizen living in Northern IReland, should I be offended that my church has IRISH dancing lessons. Emmmmm
Posted by Fiona, UK | 16.07.09, 16:49 GMT
why cant they stop marching alongside where decent catholics live.
if peace is what they want, then stop antagonising the catholic districts. i left ardoyne nearly forty years ago and im sick of seeing normal, working class people being upset by these so called march's. for goodness sake leave them alone.
Posted by arder lavery | 16.07.09, 09:37 GMT
matt says "take a look at the protestants in the Republic. The protestant minorities in the south were never targets of sectarian violence and their chuches were respected."What a load of rubbish.Just look at what happened in Ballintra before the Rossnowlagh Parade.Look at previous attacks over the years in Donegal.Also consider how the protestant population has dwindled away in Southern Ireland since the Easter Rising. As someone who has relatives in ROI, I can tell you that the protestants of ROI have been not been living in some sort Republican Utopia. In many cases quite the opposite.
Posted by Cliff | 16.07.09, 09:35 GMT
Simon,
"Hate to point out" but Ireland was united under High King Brian Boru (who?) a thousand years ago (literally). Ireland was later "united" under the English who followed up with the Penal Laws on 80% of the population, and attempted genocide through the famine years. The "Union" (1801) was achieved by an iron fist and massive bribery and corruption among the Anglo Irish politicians who voted out their own parliament in Dublin. Simple really Simon.
Slan go foill
Posted by Patrick | 16.07.09, 06:24 GMT
the strange thing is that catholics don't celebrate william of orange, since he advocated religious liberty and rights for them, which were taken away later from them and protestant dissenters by the same episcopal aristocracy which had been one of james's main pillars of support in ireland. as an american i will never forget the house of orange or the glorious revolution or what they did to bring about modern liberty, and neither should anyone who cares about human history.
Posted by Rowan | 16.07.09, 02:41 GMT
Petrol bombs have to be constructed, so obviously this has all been planned weeks / months in advance.
Posted by Stuart | 16.07.09, 02:04 GMT
Colin
Yugo. was a fusion of about half a dozen totally different cultures, forced on them (like the UK Act of Union 1801 on Ireland) by, yes, the English (and French) in the full knowledge it would be unstable, to their benefit.
Please don't respond by banging on about Prot. culture in NI.
God knows we've heard it often enough, and I respect your views.
The English establishment, as usual, left a deliberate mess in Yugo. (+ Palestine, Cyprus etc, and yes, Ireland). Works like a charm.
Posted by Evergreen | 16.07.09, 01:45 GMT
Orange parades are simply meant to antagonize the republican/catholic communities of Northern Ireland. End these bigoted marches and the rioting will stop. Most Orangeman know very little about the "Battle of the Boyne" anyway. A secular united Ireland is the only answer. If the Northern Ireland protestants are worried, they should take a look at the protestants in the Republic. The protestant minorities in the south were never targets of sectarian violence and their chuches were respected.
Posted by Matt | 16.07.09, 00:40 GMT
I left NI 5 years ago, and follow the news online- and this news is mortifying. It has made the Sydney headlines. Why don't these people realise that the only world press coverage NI gets is bad? It makes us look like ridiculous, narrow-minded fools who are stuck in the past . I am glad to have adopted a new country as mine- Australia is one to be proud of, not an embarrassing society of backward looking, naval-gazing people who can't tolerate the notion of TRUE peace and cultural acceptance.
Posted by Embarrassed to be from NI | 16.07.09, 00:17 GMT
Never, where in Derry did they march? It makes a difference.
Posted by Moira | 16.07.09, 00:00 GMT
You only have to look at the pictures of these riots to see these are mostly a bunch of teenage vandals/hooligans glad of an excuse to cause trouble.
Make them work for a living or put them in jail, for sure take away their benefits.
The one thing I am sure of is I am glad I don't live in a crazy little corner of the world where people march around for 300 years in memory of defeating their neighbours. One side is as bad as the other. From the outside world - pathetic!!!
Posted by Ex-pat | 15.07.09, 22:33 GMT
I think the continued rioting by so called nationalist mobs goes to show that this is nothing indeed to do with OO parades but an excuse by despicable yobs to assault the police and property and cause general mayhem. Keep those water canons coming
Posted by london guy | 15.07.09, 22:24 GMT
What we all miss is that below the surface nothing at all has changed in the working class areas of Belfast. Pop into the top waterworks any night to watch the riots between youths from Westland and Cliftonville. Every weekend they are on. Nothing is changing where it matters in the streets and houses where the dieing was done never mind parades, until we address the needs of areas like the Shankill and Ardoyne this will go on for another 40 years.
Posted by Joe | 15.07.09, 19:49 GMT
Hi Jim
"It seems that 300 year old history is more important to some people than a lasting peace"
How far back are the events celebrated by Xmas, Easter, St Patrick etc?
For me it's just some fun, I celebrate Xmas aswell but I'm an aetiest.
I think for a lot of people now it's the opposition to the celebrations that make them so attractive!
Would you celebrate Xmas more enthusiastically if someone was trying to stop you?
Stephen
Posted by Stephen | 15.07.09, 19:49 GMT
hate to point out the only time Ireland was united, it was under the British.....
before that every provence had its own king, or tribe or what ever you want to call it.
Histroy is great when its used right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Simon | 15.07.09, 17:35 GMT
I saw the belfast parade on Monday, I also saw the Big Drum marked with the Pride of Ardoyne and a banner with Ardoyne on it, they obviously live in Ardoyne why cant they walk their own roads to the big parade and from it.
Posted by gordon | 15.07.09, 17:20 GMT
The only thing more discouraging and depressing than these recent "troubles" in N. Ireland is many of the comments made here. They come from under educated, unenlightened bigots whose philosophy of life trails most of the world by approximately 300 years.
Also, I can't think of any other country in the world whose government permits these types of antagonistic parades, much less permitting them in areas where they are not welcome!
N. Ireland, for God's sake, join the 21st. century!
Posted by Edward | 15.07.09, 16:49 GMT
I do hope that all the effort and money spent on promoting OrangeFest has paid dividends for the tax payers of NI as it seems that Belfast was not a delightful place for the much needed tourists to visit this weekend. What a message the world has been sent - trouble is, the world are used to this behaviour, so will simply holiday elsewhere. At least the tour buses in Belfast have not been attacked....
Posted by David | 15.07.09, 16:48 GMT
52 Comments