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Cathal McNaughton / Reuters
Police officers in riot gear stand near a burning, hijacked car during rioting in East Belfast on Saturday. Protests continue in Northern Ireland as loyalists renewed their anger against restrictions on flying the union flag from Belfast City Hall.
BELFAST -- At least 16 police officers were injured when pro-British and Irish nationalist youths clashed in the Northern Irish capital on Saturday following another protest against the removal of the British flag from Belfast City Hall.
Rioting started as the mainly Protestant protesters passed a Catholic area on their way home from a rally in central Belfast against the flag's removal. Police scrambled to separate crowds of youths who pelted each other with bricks and bottles.
The unrest over the past five weeks has been some of the most sustained in the British-ruled province since a 1998 peace deal ended 30 years of conflict between Catholic Irish nationalists seeking union with Ireland and Protestant loyalists determined to remain part of the United Kingdom.
Exposing a deep vein of discontent with the peace deal, loyalists have held nightly protests since councilors voted last month to end a century-old tradition of flying the British union flag every day over the city hall.
Loyalist politicians have joined their nationalist rivals in condemning the violence, but they have been unable to prevent groups of young men draped in British flags from clashing with police.
The protesters have complained that the removal of the flag was a step too far in the ebbing of loyalist dominance in the province, saying too many concessions had been given to Irish nationalists in a power-sharing government.
"The protests will continue until our concerns are met," said Fergus Ferguson, from south Belfast, who described the decision to take down the flag as "illegal."
At least 1,000 loyalists, some with Union Jack tops, balaclavas and "No Surrender" banners, gathered at City Hall on Saturday.
After police blocked their way towards East Belfast the loyalist protesters took a detour towards the nationalist Short Strand area, a traditional flash point for sectarian violence, where they clashed with local youths.
After the nationalists dispersed, police turned water cannons on loyalist protesters who pushed riot police back with metal fencing and ripped up paving stones to hurl at police lines.
Reinforcements including dozens of jeeps, a helicopter and at least three water cannon trucks were sent in to try to control the crowds. Police said they fired at least four plastic bullet rounds.
"The police have a lot to answer for. We had women and children in this parade. It's a miracle nobody was killed," said Matthew Ferguson, who attended the protest with his 12-year-old son.
Train services in Belfast were disrupted on Saturday when a small explosive device was found near a rail line in the city, a police spokesman said.
Related stories:
Flag fury ignites some of Northern Ireland's worst violence in 15 years
Bombs in Northern Ireland target 'positivity and progress'
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It is not the Union Jack, its the Union Flag.
While the overwhelming majority of protests have been peaceful, a few regularly turn to violence - throwing of stones and petrol bombs
While peaceful protests are acceptable, violence is not.
The problem in Belfast is that no one is in control of these riots - political parties are having little of any influence and as a result no one group seems to be able to stop it.
Belfast is known for its sunshine rioters but riots in winter aren't so popular.
Carpet bomb the whole thing, nuke 'em to glass - that'll show those camel jockeys.
Nuclear bomb civilians, time to call in the Americans - Ye ha. The Final Solution
Maybe land invasion, poor N.Irish with only a handful of guns between them will be calling for a N.Ireland second amendment - shove that up piers morgan.
So the stupid fools in N. Irelend are at it again. Wouldn't a 10 megaton nuke pretty well take care of their nonsense?
You want to nuke our brothers in Ireland?! I hope that was supposed to be an attempt at a joke, because that is the most retarded thing I have heard in a long time. I'm used to hearing you idiots say that about the Middle East, but not about our allies. Do you even know where/what North Ireland is???
My comment was sarcasm but its not North Ireland - it's Northern Ireland and I know where N.I is. I doubt Cheetah or tstucker would be let anywhere near a nuclear bomb, otherwise I would be in trouble.
I'm sure in reality more nuclear bombs are pointed Americas direction, with many believing America is more of a source of trouble to the world than N.I
These loyalists are only doing what the English taught them to do i.e when you don't like the outcome of democracy then ignore it and just bully and intimidate until you get your way. The people of Ireland voted to establish an Irish parliament and the English ignored that poll and partitioned the country. The reaction of these thugs demonstrates their insecurity in their own identity as they don't really know what they are. The British don't even want them and actually call them Irish which is logical as they are born and live in the island of Ireland and not the island that is known as Britain. It would be more accurate to view them as a kind of British traveler based in Ireland.
Hmm, Doesn't Piers Morgan consider the Brits a superior system in every way?? To the point of changing our founding documents??
I guess , we way too easily forget why we revolted. Why the Brits considered the US citizen a terrorist.
Well having lax gun laws is quite silly.
It was partitioned into Southern and Northern Ireland in 1920 in order to avoid conflict as the original idea was for Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland to be separate, self-governing territories but refer to the British Parliament on issues like foreign affairs, defence, etc., like Scotland and Wales currently do. Two years later the Southern Irish parliament chose to form the Irish Free State while the Northern Irish parliament opted to petition to rejoin the union with the United Kingdom.
Just because we call them Northern Irish it doesn't mean they aren't British, in the same way that a Texan is still an American. People from Scotland tend to be called Scottish rather than British yet they're still British and look likely to vote no to independence. It's the same with Wales and England.
True, but the island of Ireland is a part of the archipelago known as the British Isles.
The flag was deliberately taken down to provoke violence! As if they did not know it was going to happen!!
Ireland needs to be sovereign, period! England needs to come out of the dark ages and set them free!
You're joking right? If a section of loyalists are willing to riot over the British flag being taken down from Belfast City Hall what do you think they'll do if Northern Ireland joined the Irish Republic? A lot of people in the Republic of Ireland don't want unification as they realise it would descend into a long and bloody civil war as the majority in Northern Ireland want to remain a part of the United Kingdom.
Time to revolt in this country, Feinstein wants to tax each weapon you own 200 dollars register each and everyone, have ATF the ability to enter your home without your consent and search for your weapons and inspect them. The US government under the libtards is going way to far, end the dictatorship before its too late. The last time only the police and military had guns was in Schindlers List. Think about it.
Robert-1319721 wrote: "end the dictatorship before its too late.".
What total nonsense. Just because someone in Congress proposes something Robert opposes it's a dictatorship?
If this was a dictatorship a dissenter like you would already be in a prison cell. Think before you post.
"Life is tough, it's even tougher when you're stupid." John Wayne
Mike, you are correct, "dictatorship" may be a stretch, but what Robert said about Feinstein's proposed bill is correct. I, for one, do not want some @$$hole feds having the right to enter my home without consent or a warrant in the name of "public safety". That, my friend, is treading dangerously close to tyranny, and I will have none of it! It is quite ironic that I voted for our President (twice), and now I am relying on the Republicans (who I completely disagree with on every other issue) to protect my constitutional rights.
LOL i would not want to be the idiot going around trying to take peoples guns
Didn't the Brits invade Ireland? If the Pro- British want there flag, perhaps they should go to Britain. I think it's time to kick out all the Lime's out of Ireland. Kind of like we did in 1776. As they say: Time to kick the trash out.
Just like the the US did to the native Americans outside the original Thirteen colonies when the US decided to expand.
These "Limes" as you call them, have been in Ireland since 1166 which is when the Normans (not the British) invaded. Since the Normans had also invaded England (Scotland and Wales where separate Kingdoms) only 100 years earlier then technically both England and Ireland where ruled by the Normans.
The more "police officers wounded" -- or KILLED, the better off the Irish will be.
Get the british thugs OUT of Ireland --- NOW!
The problem with that, is that many of the police in North Ireland are now Catholics and nationalists. They do not all support British rule of their land. Also, the british thugs, as you say, are the ones doing the protesting and are the ones perpetrating violence against the police.
Thought they were there for the people
I wonder if the Para's will shoot unarmed Protestant Protesters like they did in Derry.
And I wonder if the US army will shoot dead any student protesters (like they did at Kent State which happened just 2 years before Bloody Sunday),
I love the US, however it annoys me when Americans (granted its people on message boards) hold up their system of government as being better than everyone elses or history being whiter than white. The system is not better or worst than other democratic systems, just different. Nor is American history any less bloody than any other country. All of our countries have done stuff that disgust us today, however we need to move on, learn from history certainly, but move on none the less.
Now I get that some of the hatred filled posts will be from Irish- Americans (some of the same Irish-Americans that helped fund the IRA to kill hundreds of innocent people) where the anti British rhetoric has been passed down from generation to generation. However the reality today is far, far different. Ireland and the UK are each others biggest trading partners. 6 million people with at least 1 Irish grandparent living in the UK, at least 900,000 Irish born living in the UK. Northern Ireland has a democratically elected parliament with powers over over pretty much everything except national security and taxation. 72% of the people who actually live in Northern Ireland (the people who should actually make this decision) want Northern Ireland to stay part of the UK (including 52% of Catholics). Thank god its only a tiny minority of mindless idiot (on both sides of the pew) that want hurt police and cause violence (including some idiots on here) lets hope that the justice prevails and NI can go back to growing its economy as before.
The British don't rule over Northern Ireland, its part of the UK with equal representation in the UK parliament and its own government looking after home affairs.
Well said Tomsand - sensible comments are somewhat lacking on these posts, but you've hit the nail on the head.
Protestants and Catholics fighting like Shiites and Sunnis. Hatred is universal among religions around the world.
Alot of comments from americans who dont have a concept of the history of ulster - These "british thugs" are the same kin a the Scotch Irish who were instrumental in the founding of the united states in the rebellion against britain "Call this war by whatever name you may, only call it not an American rebellion: it is nothing more or less than a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian rebellion." - A Hessian Officer writing home during the war of the American Revolution. These are the kin of the same people.
PRESIDENT WILLIAM McKINLEY said: "The Scots-Irish were the first to proclaim for liberty in these United States. Even before Lexington, Scots-Irish blood had been shed for American freedom. In the forefront of every battle was seen their burnished mail and in the retreat was heard their voice of constancy."
So before you label these people, who have been in Ulster since the 1600s - before the formation of the united states and before many of the critics on heres ancestors emigrated to the united states, before you label them thugs and tell them to get back to britain remember they are fighting for what they see as their rights in a land they have resided in for hundreds of years, with the same grit and tenacity they showed in the backwoods and battle lines against the redcoats in the revolution. the revolutionary war may ahve had a different outcome if not for the fighting spirit of these people to secure your freedoms in the united states today. You may not agree with them but idoubt any american would act differently if their flag or culture wqas perceived to be under attack.
"The resentment which they carried with them continued to burn in their new homes; and, in the War of Independence, England had no fiercer enemies than the grandsons and the great grandsons of the Presbyterians who had held Ulster against Tyrconnell." - English Historian, James Anthony Froude, 1872.
Good thoughts, Patty84. Commenters here do not begin to realize the complexity of the problem. The only surprise to me is that there has been peace since 1998.
there are many people there both of the community that dates back to 1604 or so and the community that dates back thousands of years who want to live in peace with each other
I just hope that this settles down without the "Dissident IRA" and UVF detonating.
I love the guy who calls this a parade. It was a parade in the fashion that the old Orange day parades were just parades. Those were marches to make sure the Catholics knew their place and these marches are just the same. Since the days of Cromwell the Protestants have been forcing their view on the Catholics and it's as ridiculous and as demeaning now as it ever was. The person above who likened it to the Sunni-Shia conflict is right on.
@!$%# on both @!$%#ed up religions.
Pull ye heads out yer arses and enter the real world ye bollacks!
Or ye can wait fer the lard jeebus to show up and straiten yer arses out! Keep waitin' you idiots.
Let's follow the advice of our own NRA and send some armed kindergarten teachers in to straighten these Irish up.
When are the British going to learn that other countries do not want to be occupied by them! Scotland, The Falklands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, parts of Africa, and our beautiful America at one time - all want to be free of the British! If the British left Hong Kong then they can leave the North of Ireland too! At this point in time they won't leave because they want to feel right when they know deep down they are wrong! It makes me cry when I think about all the millions of innocent Irish souls that have died fighting for Ireland's freedom and liberty. It is not a fight over RELIGION! It is a fight of LAND, FREEDOM & LIBERTY!
Reposted under VivalaFrance comment
VivalaFrance without going into French atrocities which are many and to which many of us cry about, one only needs to read your first to Lines to see we have a problem
The Scottish are British, the falklanders most certainly want to remain british.... Australia, New Zealand, Canada and numerous parts of Africa are part of the Commonwealth - essentially the British Commonwealth, and guess what Queen Elizabeth is the head of state of many eg Australia, Canada and New Zealand. They have had plenty of time to leave. Its not the British that are holding them there.
Guess again - the Majority in N.Ireland wish to remain part of the UK. Those that support the union have been in Ireland long before americians raped, pillaged and murdered their way across what is know today as the United States of America.
VivalaFrance without going into French atrocities which are many and to which many of us cry about, one only needs to read your first to Lines to see we have a problem
The Scottish are British, the falklanders most certainly want to remain british.... Australia, New Zealand, Canada and numerous parts of Africa are part of the Commonwealth - essentially the British Commonwealth, and guess what Queen Elizabeth is the head of state of many eg Australia, Canada and New Zealand. They have had plenty of time to leave. Its not the British that are holding them there.
Guess again - the Majority in N.Ireland wish to remain part of the UK. Those that support the union have been in Ireland long before americians raped, pillaged and murdered their way across what is know today as the United States of America.
oh dear lack of knowledge on the part of alot of posters on this firstly and formostly Im from Northern Ireland, i live here and may i just state that as a few people have already pointed out to the dumb people whom post such things such as "England needs to get out of Ireland" the Brits should leave etc etc ....maybe you wont like what you are about to read but its FACT ....people in Northern Ireland WANT yes WANT to be part of the United Kingdom, its called the principle of consent if in the future they want To unite with the Republic of Ireland and form part of a united Ireland then that can happen but at the moment and for the forseeable future people in Northern Ireland want to be and are part of the UK, its in the good friday agreement agreed in 1998 between the Government of the United Kingdom, the Government of Ireland and the partys in Northern Ireland on both sides, i suggest that some people here go read fact before they go stating such nonsense on this board i also wish to point out to people that we are not being "repressed" or "Occupied" the status of Northern Ireland relies entirely on the people of Northern Ireland and as already stated we are part of the UK because we wish to be so...we are not being occupied by some unwanted force or by the" evil British".....also can i also point out me and many other people in Northern Ireland ARE British being British is not just being from England as many Americans and others think it is but from the United Kingdom Scotland,Wales,England,Northern Ireland , we are all Britons be we from any of the four corners of this United Kingdom as well as being Scots,Welsh,English,Northern Irish, i hope this clears up any misunderstandings....and finally the riots in Belfast are in one tiny part of the city they are not all over the city i was there (Belfast) on monday and seen nothing i know how the American media seems to sensationalize things but really Northern Ireland is a safe beautiful place to live and work and bring up children id rather live here than in some major US cities!
Well said, Northernirish79, another sensible voice in the wilderness!!!