Published: 12 January, 2013, 16:03
People walk past a burning double-decker bus, which was hijacked and set alight by loyalists, in the Rathcoole Estate, Belfast January 11, 2013 (Reuters/ Cathal McNaughton)
(8.2Mb) embed videoOver a hundred protesters have attacked police, throwing petrol bombs and blocking roads across Belfast as rallies over the authorities? decision to lower the British flag entered the 40th day.
?\"The situation being faced by the police is intolerable and in keeping order on our streets and bringing people before the courts the PSNI [the Police Service of Northern Ireland] must have the full support of all who want to see an end to this violence,\" Presbyterian Moderator Dr. Roy Patton pointed out to The Irish Times.
Meanwhile, an online campaign amid the protests urged people to stage ?sit-ins? against the violent rallies ? in cafes, pubs, and restaurants, to give businesses hit by the demonstration, a boost.
On December 3, Catholic council members voted to lower the British flag from the city hall except from 18 official days each year, AP reported. Since then, Belfast has been engulfed by rallies which sometimes turned violent. The Friday demonstrations were mainly peaceful, though, with only two suburbs, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, seeing the clashes.
The Loyalists, pro-British, that are taking to the streets largely see the council's decision to curb the flying of the flag as an attack on their identity and a concession to Republicans, who are seeking a united Ireland.
"); $(".tail_text").show(500); return false; }?Two dozen roads were barred at rush hour on Friday night, bringing communication to a halt.
According to police, four officers were injured in brawls with protesters, as they threw more than 30 petrol bombs and other weapons at the security forces. On the other hand, police used mobile water cannons and plastic bullets to ease the tensions. Demonstrators also torched a bus in Belfast, and a car was set alight.
Two protesters were arrested, AFP reported.
All in all, during the six weeks of protests, around 70 police officers were injured and more than 100 people arrested.
?"The situation being faced by the police is intolerable and in keeping order on our streets and bringing people before the courts the PSNI [the Police Service of Northern Ireland] must have the full support of all who want to see an end to this violence," Presbyterian Moderator Dr. Roy Patton pointed out to The Irish Times.
Meanwhile, an online campaign amid the protests urged people to stage ?sit-ins? against the violent rallies ? in cafes, pubs, and restaurants, to give businesses hit by the demonstration, a boost.
On December 3, Catholic council members voted to lower the British flag from the city hall except from 18 official days each year, AP reported. Since then, Belfast has been engulfed by rallies which sometimes turned violent. The Friday demonstrations were mainly peaceful, though, with only two suburbs, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, seeing the clashes.
The Loyalists, pro-British, that are taking to the streets largely see the council's decision to curb the flying of the flag as an attack on their identity and a concession to Republicans, who are seeking a united Ireland.
Source: http://rt.com/news/belfast-protesters-police-flag-845/
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