Belfast rioting ‘orchestrated’
Last night’s rioting in the North, in which 21 officers were injured, was orchestrated, police said today.
One member of the force was knocked unconscious under a barrage of stones, fireworks, blast bombs and other missiles in North Belfast last night.
Sinn Féin has blamed dissident republicans for the violence which came as Orangemen completed their July 12 parade through the Ardoyne housing estate.
Assistant chief constable Alistair Finlay said: “Clearly it is a sinister development but it seems to be part of the orchestration of this.”
He said troublemakers used the cover of public disorder to launch a serious and potentially life-threatening onslaught.
“They want to derail the whole (peace) process through that.
“It was an extraordinarily dangerous situation. The police officers were disciplined and courageous and they performed the duties they were trained to do with tact and restraint.”
At one stage a bullet was fired at the police lines while burning vehicles were also pushed towards them. Officers responded with water cannon and non-lethal rounds.
Mr Finlay said the rioters were intent on trouble.
“They moved into the area, they saw the opportunities it presented. They moved into the area and exploited those opportunities in the way they interacted with youths, children and young people,” he said.
It cost tens of thousands of pounds to carry out last night’s operation, which began early after police became aware that protesters planned to try to block the route of the return parade.
The senior officer said 200 young people were involved but were directed by others.
“Police feel it was orchestrated by a few who clearly want to detract from the progress that was made.”
He added: “They are clearly all criminals – attributing them to one group or a number of groupings is difficult and not terribly productive.
“There were people working there together to create the right conditions to seek to attack police and portray Northern Ireland in a way that nobody else seems to want.”
Mr Finlay said police would be reviewing video evidence of the violence and stated that young people had got caught up in the “frenzy and emotion” of the whole situation.
He said there was some degree of direction and encouragement to the rioters.
“We have not seen it on the streets of Northern Ireland for some years, we don’t want to see it again,” he added.
Armed police were present but did not open fire, although Attenuating Energy Projectiles (AEPs) were used.
