Belfast rocked by riots

www.news24.com...

Anyone on ATS from there that can say whats going on besides what this source says?

The so-called 'loyalists' (those that claim to be pro-British in NI) are rioting and attacking the Police and nationalists in the so-called 'interface areas'. By all accounts guns and blast bombs have been used but so far there have been very few really serious casualties, thankfully.

Small outbreaks of violence have happened outside of Belfast but so far nothing substantial or serious.

The claim is that this is all because of a march by the 'Orange Order' being rerouted away from a predominantly nationalist/republican area by the 'Parades Commission' (a UK Gov body meant to help reduce tensions by exerting some element of control over these marches - we have over 3000+ of them a year in NI in various locations; more than a tad excessive IMO).

Loyalist groups (and the OO and certain unionist politicians) called for 'the people' (ie 'loyalists' or 'unionists') to 'come out onto the streets to protest what they called this 'attack' on 'their culture' - they see rerouting their marches from areas where they are most certainly not welcome as an 'attack'.

Whereas once areas were 'loyalist' or 'unionist' and the march might have been welcome the demographic changes in Belfast over the last few decades mean that many of their 'traditional routes' are now running through nationalist or republican areas.

It's a crude parallel but image the KKK wanting to parade through Harlem or the British BNP wanting to parade through Brixton.
It's pure incitement and the Parades Commission banned them from taking that route (but did not ban the parade itself, which was free to use a less provocative and contentious route).

However it is also true to say that some see it as not entirely unconnected with the imminent decommissioning of arms by the republican IRA and that it is actually an attempt to derail political progress in NI by provoking the IRA into responding with arms.

Thank you for the reply , Alot of sources I read doesn't give the info that good
I'm mainly worried about some friends there that I haven't heard from in a while.
I do hope that someday they will reply with out waching what they say.

You're very welcome.

It is worth making clear that whilst there have been a few attacks in the so-called 'interface areas' (ie the edges where the loyalist/unionist streets & community abuts with nationalist/republican streets & community) the truth is that most of the trouble has been in the loyalist/unionist areas and are all about attacking the cops.

It's so confined that I reckon most in NI sat horrified as they saw these events on the news on their tv's.
It's been fairly obviously organised by loyalist paramilitary elements (sometimes in response to the cops trying to make arrests after the latest round of recent loyalist fueding in which members of 'loyalist' gangs have killed several members of other 'loyalist' gangs).

Here's hoping your friends are safe, well and you hear from them soon.

sminkeypinkey, you forgot about the road blocks, 21 people being arrested, the busses being hijacked and the passangers being robbed at knifepoint! The 50 or so peelers injured! Theres a chopper up now, overlooking the Ballysillan area, 5 minutes ago it was watching Ardoyne where there was a stand off!

Naaaa I didn't speight89, it's just that most of it is happening is within 'the usual' proddy areas, it isn't (as far as 'inter-community' violence goes) too centred on 'the usual' interface areas; it's certainly been worse there.

Mind you tonight may be a different story.
Tonight I've seen a few places like ghost towns with gangs of teenage wannabe kids just itching to do something and hoards of cops patrolling.
Talk about exploited youth. The paramilitary organisers are having a field day with those kids with nothing.

Of course the cops are the main target.
There's some weird reasoning at work there. The proddy crowd claim to be loyal to the British crown yet they are bashing HM's police for all they are worth........to ''defend' NI?!
Apparantly they are so upset at the disbandment of the Royal Irish Regiment battalions that they have been attacking members of the RIR!?

My money is on this working out like the, much much worse, Drumcree trouble a few years back.
The 'small u' unionists (ie the wider unionist community) are/will get heartily sick of this trouble and it will peter out after some embarrassing climb downs.
(on local tv tonight the Belfast OO deputy lodge master was a picture of garbled and incoherent waffling as he refused to comment or condemn what had gone on).

[edit on 12-9-2005 by sminkeypinkey]

I'm looking at pictures and reading some articals on this now that more is written. And the only thought I have is, I gotta feeling something might happen in the states soon.

Originally posted by EvilBat
I'm looking at pictures and reading some articals on this now that more is written. And the only thought I have is, I gotta feeling something might happen in the states soon.

how?!?!

how can loyalists start rioting in the states? are there groups in America who are loyal to the British crown?? i think you need to read up on Irish history, especially Northern Ireland.

As a person who has family in Northern Ireland, especially near Belfest, ballyclare and antrim to be exact, its scary to see this happening. But as anyone who is from Northern Ireland or has family there can tell you that this has happened before. The last time i was over in Northern Ireland visting family was a few years ago and it didn't seem that bad, but there was a lot of drug problem and "gangsters" in so called "loyalist" areas.

My Mother is from Northern Ireland and she said this use to happen all the time in the 70s during the "troubles" and she is worried that its all going to start up again. But praise most be given to the nationalist/republican areas for not fighting back(i haven't heard anything about them rioting, if they have send me the news story)

The Loyalist are only rioting because they feel the British government is giving in to republicans. Loyalists feel using violence will give them a say. sminkeypinkey and speight89 will probably agree with alot of what i have said. i believe speight89 lives in Northern Ireland (republican area right? sorry if im wrong, i thought you posted it somewhere) and he/she has probably grown up with this.

No offence buddy, this has nothing to do with rioting happen in America, this is completely different.

Well, today in school prortestant gangs made a bomb scare and the peelers where looking frantically for it! The senond bomb scare in 5 years for my school! And last night thy tried to steal my uncles car, but he knocked them out! lol

I didn't mean loyalists rioting in the states, I ment our own people. The air I breath is full of tension here.
Your right I don't live there , and its not the same here. I was just stating a feeling.

The Loyalist are only rioting because they feel the British government is giving in to republicans. Loyalists feel using violence will give them a say. sminkeypinkey and speight89 will probably agree with alot of what i have said. i believe speight89 lives in Northern Ireland (republican area right? sorry if im wrong, i thought you posted it somewhere) and he/she has probably grown up with this.

Yes, Republican area. I have grown up with, also been caught up in some riots and standoffs! Only because the cops were trying to bat anyone they say so i had to devend myself! Anyway, they are just playing the blame game! Nigel Dodds (the North Belfast M.P) said the most random things always contradicting himself and trying to blame the Catholics! Its not on! He cant accecpt a thing that puts the loyalists in trouble! He said nothing when loyalists crashed a fork lift into a republican pub, but if it was the republicans who done it he would have said something!

We have a group that is like the KKK is the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) they would kill republicans if they got the chance!

Originally posted by EvilBat
I didn't mean loyalists rioting in the states, I ment our own people. The air I breath is full of tension here.

Oh yes, race tensions are sky high in Oregon, the beavers are in an armed stand off with the loggers

Actualy Winchester with me it is Try working at a mill full of Native American hating rednecks being Native American.
I grew up on the east coast and moved here cause I heard its more relaxed with racial just to find out diffrent.

Originally posted by EvilBat
I grew up on the east coast and moved here cause I heard its more relaxed with racial just to find out diffrent.

And this has what exactly to do with the rioting in Belfast? If you want to give your opinions about the tensions in Oregon, start a discussion about it in a different thread! Why must everything be brought back to the U.S.?? The universe does not revolve around you, the rest of the world have things to deal with as well, most of which have no impact on you.

Back on topic, I hope things don't escalate any further. Good on the Republicans so far in keeping their cool. Violence begets more violence until someone has the guts to put a stop to the cycle.

Bloody Irish. They need to be slapped down, if the Loyalists are so loyal why do they attack the UK backed police?!?

Morons. All they do is cost the UK money and all they contribute is defeats at football.

Gits.

Originally posted by Uncle Joe
Bloody Irish. They need to be slapped down, if the Loyalists are so loyal why do they attack the UK backed police?!?

Dunno. Must be the English in them.

Morons. All they do is cost the UK money and all they contribute is defeats at football.

Gits.

Don't go blaming your lack of football prowess on a bunch of gangsters fighting for some limelight....