Irish nationalists and British loyalists clashed with police forces on another night of riots in Belfast • 19 policemen injured in riots and dozens arrested
Riots in Belfast in Northern Ireland // Photo: Reuters
Northern Ireland has been experiencing an unprecedented wave of riots in the past week that includes sights that have not been seen in autonomy since the years of the so-called disturbances on the island and occurred from the 1970s to the late 1990s.
Belfast, the largest city in the country, is now fearing another night of violence.
On Thursday night, at least 19 policemen were injured when rioters attacked police stations in the Tiger Bay area of North Blast and many of the rioters were injured after police responded by firing rubber bullets and firing water hoses.
The violence began as a street brawl between the Irish Catholic nationalist community in the city and the Protestants, loyal to British rule in Northern Ireland.
Rioters from both groups attacked police officers.
Police forces announced today that the terrorist organizations and militias that characterized the period of trouble and managed the lives of the communities in the region are not behind the riots and it is apparently a spontaneous rage of young people from both population groups.
The latest wave of riots began after rage grew in the Protestant community over Britain's concessions to the Republic of Ireland under the Brexit agreement would separate Northern Ireland from the rest of Britain, extremist members of the Loyalist Kabbalah took to the streets and confronted young nationalists at the seam line between communities.
The riots soon spread to other places in Northern Ireland such as the town of Derry, the second largest city in the country and a known focal point of conflict between the two communities, and the county of Arma, a distinct stronghold of the Irish nationalist community south of Belfast.
The riots did not result in casualties but many were injured and much damage was done to infrastructure in the city of Belfast.