Riots continued for a second night in North Belfast, with petrol bombs being thrown at police, as hundreds more police officers being drafted in from the UK mainland and water cannon was deployed.
Violence broke out after the Orange Order march was banned from the nationalist Ardoyne district. Whilst the move was welcomed by nationalist politicians, the Orange Order deemed the decision "absurd", and accused The Parade's Commission of "rewarding those who engage in violence and go out of their way to be offended by our traditions".
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said:
Violence broke out after the Orange Order march was banned from the nationalist Ardoyne district. Whilst the move was welcomed by nationalist politicians, the Orange Order deemed the decision "absurd", and accused The Parade's Commission of "rewarding those who engage in violence and go out of their way to be offended by our traditions".
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said:
“Speech after speech at the various (Orange) demonstrations were clearly designed to stir up sectarian tension and have alongside the Orange Order’s failure to abide by Parades Commission determinations led directly to the violence in Belfast tonight.”Last night, the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said:
“Responsibility for tonight’s violent attacks on police and the community rests with the leadership of the Orange Order, they are a disgrace.”
