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Peter Morrison / AP
Masked loyalists gather before attacking police in North Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Sunday.
Police in Northern Ireland fired plastic bullets and water cannon on rioters late on Monday in a second night of sectarian clashes between Catholics and Protestants that have injured dozens of police officers.
Police fired controversial plastic rounds for the first time during the disturbances after protesters threw Molotov cocktails, fireworks, bricks and stones at officers trying to separate rival groups in north Belfast.
Rioters from the Protestant group hijacked a van at one point and pushed it at police lines. At least three of the injured officers were taken to a hospital.
Riots often erupt during the summer months when Protestant groups hold traditional parades that are seen as provocative by nationalists, who want to be part of a united Ireland, and Catholics.
The second night of disturbances over the last week followed a parade by Catholic Irish nationalists in an area where Protestant groups were recently barred from marching.
At least 47 officers were hurt in clashes on Sunday in the dispute over the rights of the two communities to hold parades in the area. As many as nine were reportedly injured on Monday night.
The Queen is making a historic visit to Northern Ireland as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour. She arrived in Enniskillen, the scene of one of the worst atrocities of The Troubles, and meet the Stormont deputy first minister, former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, in a gesture which will herald another milestone in Anglo-Irish relations. ITN's Martha Fairlie reports.
Over the weekend, seven police officers were hurt in the same area when a Protestant band marched past a Catholic church playing music in defiance of a ban from the parades commission, which regulates marches in the province.
Photos: Riots erupt in Northern Ireland
Paramilitary violence between the province's mainly Catholic republicans and pro-British Protestants, which raged on and off for three decades, has largely ended since a peace agreement was signed in 1998, but much of Belfast remains socially divided along sectarian lines.
The head of the Northern Ireland Police Federation, Terry Spence, praised the officers on the front lines.
Martin McGuinness, a former commander of the Irish Republican Army met with Queen Elizabeth in Northern Ireland. It was a historic moment decades after the IRA led a bloody fight against British rule. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.
"Their bravery and courage is in stark contrast to that of the cowardly thugs responsible for trying to murder them," he said, according to BBC News.
Alban Maginness of the predominantly Catholic and moderate nationalist political party S.D.L.P., claimed that the riots were not spontaneous, the BBC reported.
Violence flared for a second night running in Northern Ireland as Catholic youths clashed with police following Protestant parades. NBC's Yuka Tachibana reports.
"The bulk of the violence over the past two days has, I believe, been sustained by loyalist paramilitaries," the BBC quoted him as saying. "I think this is an attempt to intimidate the lawful authorities."
Police had blamed loyalists for the weekend's violence at a republican march, the BBC reported, adding that up to 350 loyalists had rioted.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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This is all very sad. I don't live there and have never visited so I have nothing to compare it to except perhaps now with the assault the US government is starting on the Christian churches with this new healthcare mandate.Perhaps this is how it starts...with one thing...then another...then another and before you know it we are living with a Dictator not in a Free Country.
I see Walmart was out of its tinfoil stock.
MARK chapter 5 verse 11 and jesus spoke saying thou shalt kill all who disagreeth with you.
@ battle; A little early in the morn for blasphemy doncha think?
the waring religions dont worry about time.besides,just pionting out how sad all of this fighting is.peace? love?
Are there any adults there to supervise them?
Does anybody feel it is odd that this upsurge in sectarian violence comes when Ireland is in a near depression, with high unemployment, government deficits, etc.
5 years ago, all the talk was of the Celtic Tiger. The Irish economy was going great. Nobody was rioting then.
Wars may be fought under religious banners, but at their hearts, they are invariably about economics. I suspect so too is the cause of this sectarian violence.
I'm atheist and even I wonder what kinda bullsh*t you are pulling by making that up.
Mark 5:11 is "Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding."
The fact you have never been there and have no idea what you are talking about shows you should keep your mouth shut. You will earn the right to speak when you have something knowledgeable to say. It's obvious you don't have a clue about what is going on.
proverbs 27/5
Then don't be such a biggoted moron. If you haven't got a clue about Northern Ireland and it's trouble's then STFU and stop comparing it with your warped view of the world. Yes, I have lived there as has my family and the troubles have nothing to due with your goals of forcing Christianity on everyone else and being un-Christian when it comes to the basic health of the people around you.
Nope that's not it either.
Proverbs 27:5 "Better is open rebuke than hidden love"
My advice? Just stfu with the random bible quote claims. You're starting to look pretty idiotic.
More religious violence from the religion of "peace".
So much for all of the people that try to claim that the troubles in Ireland don't have to do with religion. They absolutely do.
Since you know nothing about Ireland and the trouble there,let me suggest you and others read the novel "Trinity".It sets down in detail what has led to the conflict there for centuries.If someone after reading that novel doesn't understand Ireland they never will.
Christian barbarians at it again. Pull out all the police and let them have at each other. Thin the herd. The Sunni vs. Shiite have nothing on these fools. Funny how secular people seldom engage in these events.
This has never really been about religion. Which is something Americans and the media have perpetuated for years! This has to do with the loyalists and Nationalists. One wants to rule themselves , like Ireland, the other group wants to be part of England. It just so happens that the majority of those are either Protestant or catholic. But religion plays very Little part. It's sad that the media in this country makes things up and we all believe....
@surromom - The troubles originated in religious and politically based disagreement and inequality. The British moved in later on to protect the Protestants and quell the violence. That just escalated the problem again in the 60's and 70's. By the peace agreement in the 90's, generations had grown up hating each other (often not knowing why)... they only knew that Catholics or Protestants were bad. It's only been just over ten years since the agreements, but there has been 400 years of discourse. It's not going away so easily.
mao tse tung, Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin????
I would bet most of these people are secular and don't regularly attend church lol.
David, you need to read some history books. Not everything on the web is true. The "troubles" as you put it did not arise from religion but from occupation. The religion is/was nothing but side note. Of course this is just a simplified/summary history version. Get an encyclopedia or library card.
@Julie - You need to take your own advice there.... I lived in it. My family is from Northern Ireland and I've seen it all up close and personal during the height of the troubles. How many times have you almost been blown up in a bombing? For me the count is three. How many times have you had guns pointed at you? I've lost count.
The 'occupation' as you call it was just one result of years of mixed secular and political discourse that had been occurring since the 1600's.
Stop making assumptions about things you don't understand.
And Coming To A City Near You This Fall.........But in America the story would have been........Dozens of police hurt....Thousands Of "Terrorists" Killed!
Because guess what? Don't agree with Obama and the Feds....And its....Kill The Stinking Terrorists!
Anybody else notice that "Obama" has Redefined the Debate? Under Bush Millions Of Liberals Took To The Streets.....Now everybody is Too Terrified to Speak Out!
Just more of Wall Streets Hope & Change....That The Abomination Promised US!
The picture shown looks like a lot of teenagers in it. Where are the parents? Probably in the backround egging them on.
This is the nightlife for NI youth, the girls get dressed up like they're going to the club, boys do their best Palestinian impression and make sure the girls see them throwing bottles, then they all scatter and hope to get laid. It's all ridiculous, I don't think any of them are religious are even give a crap at all about what the root of the issue is.
Mike - N. Ireland has had generations that have grown up not knowing why they hate. Their parents and friends only told them that who they should hate. It's true on both sides. That being said, it is a smaller and smaller group of people causing the problems... most of the Irish (Protestant or Catholic) are not like you have described.
That is no different than any other social problem area in the world, even in the U.S.
Maybe just maybe... the "English" should give Ireland back to the Irish !
They just seem unable to let it go. Once... eons ago England was a "Empire". That time has LONG passed.
Elizabeth would go down in history as the "greatest leader ever"(in England) if she would call for a united Ireland. But as usual it is all about the $$$$. The northern part of Ireland is more industrialized than the south... therefore $$$$$=GREED !!!
In Ireland are we? Do not perpetuate the hate in that country.
It is because of England that Northern Ireland is industrialized.
Idiot, do some research.
Give the native Americans thier land back then.
Then give England back to the Romans.....And Ireland to the Celts.....
Barry, do you live in Northern Ireland? Why do you care so much if it is given back to Ireland? Do you deny that England did move on Ireland and force people from their lands and caused starvation and shipped people to Australia? Do you deny that forcibly removing people from their homes and lands could really piss people off? When my grandmother was a child the black and tan camped across the road from her home and repeatedly shot into her thatched roof for fun, occasionally setting it on fire. My great-grandfather was away working (in England, ironically), so her mother would have to go out and fix the roof in front of the soldiers who would yell obscenties and make fun of her. I guess this type of behavior is okay? This was not 400 years ago as some of the posters are saying. You are not the only one who knows the history, or have very personal feelings about England's involvement in Ireland.
It appears the majority of the people living in Northern Ireland, do not want to be disassociated from England. What was done hundreds of years ago is now history and will not be undone.
@hannah - Please take the time to go learn about their history before you go off bloviating about something you clearly know little about. Until then STFU.
The facts are that the majorty of people in Northern Ireland want to remain part of the UK. That includes many protestants and catholics.
Unionists do not want to be part of England as stated earlier but part of a greater collective (UK) that has more economic and political power in the world and with that pride. The Republic of Ireland offers none of that.
The media characterizes the Citizens of Ireland as a riotous mob of law breaking people. The truth being that the population has been intentionally divided by orchestrated issues, and, out of frustration, driven by oppression and led by forced 'austerity', they react as any Citizens would and should... didn't we Americans react the same way in 1776...and it may very well be time to consider defending ourselves again.
The people of the World are rising up. Let's not support the premise that the United States has become the largest 'POULTRY FARM' on the face of this Earth.
they make such a big deal about it, but honestly there is more rioting and violence in Detroit on a typical Saturday night! I was in Belfast last summer during the "riots" of July 12th. one big bonfire
Maybe just maybe Hannah will learn to educate herself instead of spouting off like a complete MUPPET!!!
Clearly you don't know the history of Northern Ireland and clearly you didn't even bother to read the article.
EPIC FAIL.
Jackazz- I know the history of Ireland. My grandmother told me all about it AND I have been there several times. (Including Northern Ireland). So maybe you need to educate yourself beyond the "spin".
REALLY! If you were born one religion or another and were adopted by one religion or another couple, does that make you what? Irish?
The whole of Ireland needs to come together and blame who is really responsible for all this garbage. The British!
Who in the 16-17 hundreds made themselves and their religion "The righteous upper class" and the "other people" who were already Irish and Catholic/Other into animals to be used like beasts of burden. GEE one would think they have a real beef.
Have the English ever apologized for doing this? Ya, right, the Queen would ever be apologetic for taking over a country that did not belong to them and dividing the people with British upper class.
So why is the ruling parties in Ireland still in this day and age NOT equal rulers? What are the Brits doing to correct this tragedy that they caused.
"Who in the 16-17 hundreds made themselves"
Just for the math lesson that was about 400 years ago. Get over yourself. It was going along so well there for a while. I sincerely hope that it does not start up again.
And just for the history lesson: It was real ugly.
Steven, your obsessed by something in the 1600-1700's? Guess you wouldn't have a problem with giving back America to the Indians then? So England kicked Irish butt 300-400 yrs ago, who cares, idiots like you who want to drag in the past is why people die there.
How many country borders has stayed static for 400 years.
Grow up Steven and as to today, you clearly do not have a clue.
If the Irish knew what the future had in store for them, they would immediately join forces with their Irish brothers, no matter what their religion.
If it wasn't the Protestant/catholic thing it would be something else. All these people exsist for is to argue and fight. They're day isn't complete unless they get into some kind of a row. I've been around too much of it.
Saw a video of the violence and noticed people in the riot who were video taping the incident from a vantage point witch didnt show the people next to them throwing stones at the police but were ready to show any misbehavior of the police.
isn't religion great?
26 + 6 = 1 ! Brits go home....you have your own country to care for.
Majority of the people living there are British, not Irish. Would you say the same thing about Europeans and Indians here in America?
Not completely true....As per the 1998 Good Friday Agreement between the British and Irish governments, which provides that it's the birthright of people born in the North to identify themselves & be accepted as Irish, British, or both & be able to hold citizenship of both.
This is based on the premise that Northern Ireland is a "possession" of the United Kingdom & sadly, the protestant majority in power, prefer to keep it that way.
As for your comments about Europeans & Indians in America, this isn't an issue about America. This is an issue with the British Empire having to be kicked out of every country it's ever forced itself upon & that this still exists in 2012/13.
Not true square dude. According the to 1998 Good Friday Agreement citizens of the North can hold both British and Irish citizenship. The english have always made it clear that the Irish (protestant and catholic) and especially catholics are less than dirt in their eyes and are treated as such. who in their right mind wants to live in a society where you are paid less because of your ethnicity and religion, denied housing for that same reason, etc., It always amazes me how Americans act like they know the full story from reading one article or listening to some twit of a news anchor talk about it for ten minutes.
Square Dude...so you would be okay with giving the Europeans and Indians their own state for their own? Your reasoning makes no sense.....I am pretty sure she is talking about the British rule. For the most part, the Irish and the English get along fine since most are not from Northern Ireland.
The battle in Ireland is divided into Catholic vs Protestant. Thats just how the sides are divided. The battle is truely about autonomy and has very little to do with religion. Being thier own nation and country. Beholden to none. To not have to worship how England says they do. It would be no different than saying Orange vs. Green. These problems started long before the US had any real concern or care for Eire. The emerald island will burn from time to time till England hands over the mantle to them. The sad part is if you were able to interview people in the IRA and others. There would be ones that have been fighting so long that they are not even really sure why they are.
In the south the folks who got their freedom have had peace ever since. in the north they are Like our founding fathers; they have a wee problem with British rule.
The two people who take TOP AWARD for ignorance and hate, and this is NO easy prize, are the Palestians and the Northern Irish. Yes, England was a brutal overlord to conquered Ireland, stole everything, destroyed their culture, and committed some form of genocide thru the potato famine. What does that have to do with today? Yes, Isreal was carved out of a small sliver of desert lived on by some native Palestinians, some of who are Islamic? What does that have to do with today? NOTHING except to keep the hate and war going. That's it. People who hate. People who want to live in the muck. People who want no hope. People who want to live in the past. Poor excuses of human beings.
So, let's say your country was invaded. What's the statute of limitations on trying to throw the invaders out? Forget about the Irish, Palestineans, Iraqis, Afghans, etc. I'm asking about your country. A week? Month? Year? Decade? Century? When do you just say "I give up"? Were the French right to allow the Germans to march in? Was the underground wrong for fighting back? I'm not asking about Northern Ireland as I really don't know their history. Just curious what you would do.
I wish the press would stop couching this as a religious conflict. This is a struggle by the Irish to free themselves of the occupying English forces. If the English would take their troops out of Ireland, the country could reunite as a single republic and peace would prevail. It's time for the Brits to realize that their days of empire are over.
Christians attacking Christians.
How utterly unsurprising.
Is anybody else posting on here just a little sick of all the hatred and violence? This group against that group. Some other group against another group. When will more people mature to realize that we have more in common than not. Whether it is here in the U.S. or in Ireland or wherever. People should place emphasis on the common good - enough food to eat, safe and warm shelter, healthcare, a decent job that pays a living wage, a retirement plan. Please let us grow up! All this ridiculous hatred needs to end and people really need to come together to improve the lot of all.
All I can say is that religionisafraud.com
Why is it that religion - any religion, seems to be a breeding ground for terrorists?
"Terrorism" is a matter of perspective, depending on which side you're on.
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter or patriot. The Son's of Liberty ring any bells ?
For those of you panning the religious factor, you should know that religion has nothing to do with this. If you recall, the British Crown left the Catholic Church and started their own protestant church. Those loyal to the crown converted as well. Those who were not loyal to the crown stayed Catholic. Northern Ireland is the last British Colony left. The Irish Catholics never accepted English rule and largely still don't to this day. The divide in Northern Ireland is purely a political one.
Nice try, but no cigar. It's religious. Always has been and always will be. The political part of it is just that - a part of it.
There is NOTHING "Sectarian" about it...its Irish patriots vs British colonists...Britain is know for outwearing its welcome...it took us two wars to get rid of them...and they still occupy the Malvinas Islands near Argentina and Gibraltar...Brits OUT!!!
NO FREE TRADE WITHOUT FULL EMPLOYMENT!!!
RicInCT .....when was the last time you visited a mental health professional?
Okay, so why were the Protestants denied the right to a parade and the Catholics were granted the right?
What stupid fool did not know there would be violence when this was agreed upon?
The problem is that for many,many years the Protestant Orange Order,which was powerful enough in Northern Ireland,that to be anybody in the Protestant community you had to belong (similar to the old KKK in the US).Would march through Catholic areas with police or army protection,beating their drums and shouting anti-Catholic slogans.As if to say to the Catholics,we dominate you. Imagine a large KKK march protected by armed men marching through Harlem beating loud drums and shouting anti-Black slogans,or a Nazi march through NYC shouting anti-Jewish slogans. And you get the idea of what those marches were about.That's why they were finally forbidden to march in Catholic areas.Well they don't like to be told no,so you have the riots.
Of course, people will always blame religion. Is it not the very people who cause these revolutions and then use
religion as there hiding place? Atheists are people too and don't be surprised if you see them fighting. We'll see
in the end who is right and who is wrong. All you hear here on these posts is the Atheist complaining Christians
and other religions and when you say something to them they get nasty. LOL. You guys seems angered! Quick
to judge. We willl all have an accounting in the end. Even the Atheist will have to know what God's name is
and face the judgement or not. The last time an Atheist attacked my post I asked them to email me and we
could discuss with them, where I am wrong. I wasn't even speaking with them and they were hitchhiking on my
conversation. They declined to email me. I wanted them to prove how I'm wrong in what I believe.