Dozens of youths attack police in east Belfast with bricks and bottles
A mob of about 60 youths attacked police officers in east Belfast on Sunday night.
The teenagers gathered at the bottom of Castlereagh Street, near the Short Strand interface shortly after 7pm.
Locals residents contacted the PSNI and local neighbourhood policing officers were deployed – who then came under attack.
Bricks, blocks, bottles and other missiles were thrown at the officers.
One of the local neighbourhood sergeants was hit with masonry on the shoulder and injured.
The windscreen of one of the police landrovers was also smashed.
Chief Inspector David Moore, Area Commander for East Belfast, said: “This behaviour is totally unacceptable and a police investigation has begun to identify youths involved.
“Since April 2014, there have been approximately 60 arrests for interface related disorder in East Belfast.”
DUP MLA Robin Newton, who is also a member of the Policing Board, condemned the attack as totally unacceptable.
“There can be no justification for such an incident and it has resulted in a police officer being injured and the likelihood of young people coming before the courts and receiving criminal convictions,” he said.
“This type of behavior sends out all the wrong messages from east Belfast when we are working to bring jobs and investment to the area. The PSNI need to have the support of the entire community to help stamp out such incidents.”
