UDA chief calls for end to ‘bonfire violence’ and dismisses claims of new loyalist dissident groups
A senior Belfast loyalist has called on those engaged in tit-for-tat attacks across a local interface to stop the “bonfire violence” before it leads to serious trouble.
UDA chief Jackie McDonald said although the confrontations between youths in South and West Belfast around the Broadway Roundabout tended to occur around bonfire season in the summer, this year they had started in April, with adults becoming involved in stone-throwing and “minor” violence.
However, the loyalist leader said reports that disillusioned former UDA and UVF members were banding together to form a ‘loyalist dissident’ group to launch attacks across the interface into West Belfast were wide of the mark.
“When trouble happens at the roundabout, it flares up along the Donegall Road, the Village and Sandy Row,” he said.
“It starts with kids throwing things at each other in St James’ and the Falls, and then adults get involved as it escalates. It usually happens as the bonfire goes up here but it has started early this year for some reason.
“There have been a few incidents in the past week and we are worried this means it is going to be a long summer of this.”
McDonald said the danger was the “knife-edge” situation developing from the growing violence.
“Through everything – the ceasefires, IRA decommissioning – there have always been people wanting violence to erupt in this area. It has been curtailed and there are fewer people involved, but it’s still there.
“The risk is that someone with a big mouth takes things seriously and does something we would all regret. Anyone with those sorts of ideas in their head has to think about what they would be bringing to their community again.”
McDonald also said reports a loyalist dissident group was recruiting on a large scale were not true.
“If anyone was openly enlisting members, there are people in the area who would know this and give them what they deserve – a slap in the mouth. No-one is going to tolerate this, because the people of Sandy Row and other places have been through too much.
Blood
“Some individuals think they are blood and thunder loyalists, and once the marching season starts they want to attack the other community. But the people of South Belfast aren’t going to let them bring that back here.
“There is no place for this and people don’t want it. We are working as a community to try and move things on and improve conditions here, and that is the important thing.”
