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PSNI attacked during street riots in Belfast
Teenage stone throwers show ‘wanton vandalism’
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
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Gangs of young people from both sides of the community who attacked police with stones and petrol bombs in south and east Belfast showed “wanton disregard” for their own areas, Sinn Fein Assembly member Alex Maskey said today.
Police were called out last night to a number of places following reports of sporadic stone throwing, including the nationalist Cromac Street, the Markets, lower Ormeau Road and the Short Strand and the loyalist lower Newtownards Road.
A small number of petrol bombs were also thrown at police from Pitt Park and Cromac Street area.
There were no reports of any injuries. During the incidents, traffic was diverted away from the vicinities for a while.
Mr Maskey said that he believed those responsible were aged between 13 and 15.
And he said that although the stone-throwing came from both sides of the community, he did not think it was of a sectarian nature but “wanton vandalism”.
“These young people showed wanton disregard of the good name of their area, never mind the safety of the people who were passing through at the time,” he said.
"It is very disappointing that we had a number of young people gathered last night who started to thrown stones and other missiles at passing vehicles, some of which contained families and young children.
"It is just unacceptable and very, very regrettable that what was a small number of young people have caused this damage."
And he said the incidents “flew in the face” of the efforts of people within the community who were working with young people to make the area a better place to live.
Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers also condemned the attacks and appealed to the culprits to stop.
“They are giving the city a bad name and we have worked so hard to move away from this,” he said.
“Some of these kids are as young as primary school age and really, the parents need to ascertain where they are and what they are doing.
“There is a lack of parental control and as a result, these young people are wreaking havoc.”
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This isn't just happening in Belfast, look at the rest of the UK. One solution to the problem would be to bring back Conscription/ National Service, not because there may be another World War, but, to teach the next generation/s respect and discipline! As it is obvious, this is not happening at home!
Posted by Eleni | 27.08.08, 01:08 GMT
A direct question to our top-cops......why cant you give our cops a free hand to scoop these parasites. Just for a week or two - ease up on the hard pressed motorist [paying road taxes-and staying legal etc] and use that interim period to pull these scum in and penalise them moneywise or their parents who always claim "I didn,t know where wee johny was." Wake up tree-hugging liberal courts. Give our cops a free hand!
Posted by ex pat | 26.08.08, 15:59 GMT
What Northern Ireland is experiencing is the aftermath of some forty years of civil unrest. Yes, these young people need to be brought into society either the hard way,or the easy way,and that may mean in some instances draconian(to some) methods. The middle class did little or nothing during those troublesome years to put a halt to the conflict as it was not in their backyard. As for Alex Maskey's comments, he was part of the problem, just as many of the so-called loyalists were. I was part of the problem as I did nothing to help the situation before I left N. Ireland for a better life for me and my family.
Posted by RMS | 26.08.08, 15:33 GMT
Why does the Belfast Telegraph persist with that old quote "both side of the community"?????.....it's not 1970 anymore! Where I live there are protestants, catholics, atheists, hindus, seikhs, muslims etc etc. People of all colour and creed....so what exactly are the 2 sides they keep harping on about. Maybe if papers and local news started talking about all sides of the community we could start having a quieter, more peaceful and inclusive society!
Posted by Stephen | 26.08.08, 12:26 GMT
I agree with Johnh. I was travelling home last Thursday on the Ormeau Road and was stopped at the bridge over the Lagan when some yobs, inevitably wearing hoodies, appeared and threw eggs at some of the cars. Not dangerous in itself but had the potential to cause an accident at least. Of course they ran away laughing. It's time that the ordinary people retook control of society and set aside the "rights" of the criminal, be it a child or anyone. There's too much emphasis on the criminal's human rights. I appreciate that we don't want to have a barbaric society or vigilantes but the pc brigade, the justice system and other do-gooders (for want of a better term) have an awful lot to answer for.
It's time jail meant jail. It's time 9 months meant 9 months. Its time the rule of law was respected and not undermined by various groups and dare I say it, political parties (on all sides).
Posted by bri | 26.08.08, 12:24 GMT
The same tired old things are said practically year in and year out and still nothing gets done. Until parents are actually made to suffer a penalty of some sort it never will as politicians are too weak to do so themselves. The old 'I can't keep my eye on them all the time' moan you get from parents can be counteracted with 'well don't have them in the first place if you haven't the time to keep them in check!' People harp on about the rights of children but as per usual no-one mentions the rights of ordinary decent people going about their daily lives and why not - because it isn't newsworthy!
Posted by Johnh | 26.08.08, 11:14 GMT