Belfast is becoming more and more Catholic as the Protestant population moves out of the city. I think you'll see more and more political controversies like this, but hopefully the violence will go away.
Loyalists have attacked police with fireworks, stones and golf balls on a third night of trouble in east Belfast.Cars have also been set on fire. Police have advised people to avoid Templemore Avenue and Castlereagh Street.
Earlier, a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after shots were reportedly fired at police.
About 100 loyalists targeted officers after an earlier protest against the council's decision to stop flying the union flag over city hall every day.
Bricks, bottles, fireworks and smoke canisters were thrown by the rioters on the Lower Newtownards Road.
Up to 1,000 loyalists had protested outside Belfast City Hall over the decision to fly the union flag only on designated days.
The chairman of the Police Federation, Terry Spence, said he had no doubt that paramilitaries had been involved in the violence.
"This is a very sinister development and quite clearly the police came under fire this afternoon from a gunman," he said.
"I think what it clearly does demonstrate is that there has been paramilitary involvement in these attacks on police and it has been orchestrated, in the case of east Belfast, by the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force)."
However, Democratic Unionist assembly member Robin Newton said it was too early to say whether the violence had been organised.
"I'm going to wait until the police actually indicate that from their intelligence, they haven't indicated that these riots have been orchestrated by the UVF," he said.
"I think we do need to be concerned about the number of injuries on the police officers - this is just not a good situation for the east of the city."
Three other men were arrested during the earlier trouble which happened close to the nationalist Short Strand area.
Some loyalists claimed it was sparked when they were attacked by republicans.
Police responded to the attacks on them by using water cannon.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Speaking of Anti-Catholicism
BBC:
Labels:
Across the Atlantic,
Strange But True,
the Church
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