29 Belfast cops hurt in Catholic-Protestant clash

Loyalists are seen during a flag protest in the city center of Belfast, January 12, 2013. / Paul Faith/PA Wire

Updated 7:31 PM ET

DUBLIN Northern Ireland police fought day-and-night street battles with Protestant militants Saturday as a protest march to Belfast City Hall degenerated into riots when many marchers returned home to the Protestant east side.

The Protestants, who have blocked streets daily since Catholics on the council decided Dec. 3 to curtail the flying of the British flag, have frequently clashed with police in hopes of forcing politicians to overturn the decision. The street confrontations have stirred sectarian passions, particularly in Protestant east Belfast and its lone Catholic enclave, Short Strand, flashpoint for the most protracted rioting over the past six weeks.

Saturday's violence began as police donning helmets, shields and flame-retardent suits tried to shepherd the British flag-bedecked crowd past Short Strand, where masked and hooded Catholic men and youths waited by their doors armed with Gaelic hurling bats, golf clubs and other makeshift weapons. The two sides began throwing bottles, rocks and other missiles at each other and, as police on foot struggled to keep the two sides apart, Protestant anger turned against the police.

Police marched down the street with shields locked, backed by blasts from three massive mobile water cannons. Officers also fired at least a half-dozen baton rounds — blunt-nosed, inch (2.5-centimeter)-thick cylinders colloquially known as plastic bullets — at rioters.

After the initial two-hour clash subsided, police at nighttime confronted a renewed mob of Protestant youths on nearby Castlereagh Street, where a car was stolen and burned as a barricade. A police helicopter overhead shone its spotlight on the crowd, which chanted anti-police and anti-Catholic slogans.

Police commander Mark Baggott said 29 of his officers were injured in the two operations, bringing total police casualties above 100 since the first riots outside city hall on Dec. 3. The clashes have cost Northern Ireland an estimated 25 million pounds ($40 million) in lost trade and tourism and in police overtime bills.

Baggott described Saturday's police deployment as "a difficult operation dealing with a large number of people determined to cause disorder and violence." He credited his officers with "exceptional courage and professionalism."

The Protestant hard-liners, however, have accused police of pursuing heavy-handed tactics that have worsened the riots. Police have provided no casualty figures for civilians, who often avoid hospital treatment so that they are not identified as rioters and arrested. More than 100 rioters have been arrested since Dec. 3. The Associated Press photographer in Belfast, Peter Morrison, suffered serious injuries to his head and hand when clubbed by policemen on Dec. 3 outside city hall.

The Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party said 10 Short Strand homes were damaged during Saturday's clashes. Sinn Fein councilman Niall O Donnghaile, who represents Short Strand, said it was the 15th illegal Protestant march past the Catholic enclave since last month. He said the marchers clearly wanted to attack Short Strand residents.

"People do not come to `peaceful protests' armed with bricks, bottles, golf balls and fireworks," O Donnghaile said of the Protestant marchers.

Belfast used to have a strong Protestant majority, but the Dec. 3 vote demonstrated that Catholics have gained the democratic upper hand, stoking Protestant anxiety that one day Northern Ireland could be merged with the Republic of Ireland as many Catholics want.

Sinn Fein council members had wanted to remove the British flag completely from city hall, where the Union Jack had flown continuously for more than a century. But they accepted a compromise motion that would allow the UK flag to be raised on 18 official days annually, the same rule already observed on many British government buildings throughout the United Kingdom.

[northernirish79]

oh dear lack of knowledge on the part of alot of posters on this firstly and formostly Im from Northern Ireland, i live here and may i just state that as a few people have already pointed out to the dumb people whom post such things such as "England needs to get out of Ireland" the Brits should leave etc etc ....maybe you wont like what you are about to read but its FACT ....people in Northern Ireland WANT yes WANT to be part of the United Kingdom, its called the principle of consent if in the future they want To unite with the Republic of Ireland and form part of a united Ireland then that can happen but at the moment and for the forseeable future people in Northern Ireland want to be and are part of the UK, its in the good friday agreement agreed in 1998 between the Government of the United Kingdom, the Government of Ireland and the partys in Northern Ireland on both sides, i suggest that some people here go read fact before they go stating such nonsense on this board i also wish to point out to people that we are not being "repressed" or "Occupied" the status of Northern Ireland relies entirely on the people of Northern Ireland and as already stated we are part of the UK because we wish to be so...we are not being occupied by some unwanted force or by the" evil British".....also can i also point out me and many other people in Northern Ireland ARE British being British is not just being from England as many Americans and others think it is but from the United Kingdom Scotland,Wales,England,Northern Ireland , we are all Britons be we from any of the four corners of this United Kingdom as well as being Scots,Welsh,English,Northern Irish, i hope this clears up any misunderstandings....and finally the riots in Belfast are in one tiny part of the city they are not all over the city i was there (Belfast) on monday and seen nothing i know how the American media seems to sensationalize things but really Northern Ireland is a safe beautiful place to live and work and bring up children id rather live here than in some major US cities!

[northernirish79]

titansurfer you are very good at making assumptions i dont live in Belfast and im not nor would i be part of any violence,as i said before the violence is only in a small area of Belfast, also Americans need to go mind their own business and get their own house in order before they start poking their noses in other countries business...

[northernirish79]

I love the US, however it annoys me when Americans (granted its people on message boards) hold up their system of government as being better than everyone elses or history being whiter than white. The system is not better or worst than other democratic systems, just different. Nor is American history any less bloody than any other country. All of our countries have done stuff that disgust us today, however we need to move on, learn from history certainly, but move on none the less.

Now I get that some of the hatred filled posts will be from Irish- Americans (some of the same Irish-Americans that helped fund the IRA to kill hundreds of innocent people) where the anti British rhetoric has been passed down from generation to generation. However the reality today is far, far different. Ireland and the UK are each others biggest trading partners. 6 million people with at least 1 Irish grandparent living in the UK, at least 900,000 Irish born living in the UK. Northern Ireland has a democratically elected parliament with powers over over pretty much everything except national security and taxation. 72% of the people who actually live in Northern Ireland (the people who should actually make this decision) want Northern Ireland to stay part of the UK (including 52% of Catholics). Thank god its only a tiny minority of mindless idiot (on both sides of the pew) that want hurt police and cause violence (including some idiots on here) lets hope that the justice prevails and NI can go back to growing its economy as before.

The British don't rule over Northern Ireland, its part of the UK with equal representation in the UK parliament and its own government looking after home affairs.

[zuppymac]

Where do these stats come from. 72% and 52%. They seem like stats from the boycotted referendum in the 70's. Also, this violence is on sided - the Protestant side. The Catholics have only got involved when there neighborhood has been invaded. Lets at least be honest about it. One side thugs!!!

[northernirish79]

in the Belfast telegraph:....s reported in yesterday's Belfast Telegraph, a major survey has found that the majority of Catholics polled now do not want reunification.

The Life and Times survey claimed 52% of Catholic respondents wanted to remain in the United Kingdom, with just 33% admitting to wanting a united Ireland.

In contrast, just 19% of Catholics questioned by the same survey team in 1998 favoured the UK connection, while 49% claimed they wanted a united Ireland.

The survey, which was carried out by Ark, a joint project by Queen's University and the University of Ulster, also found that 90% of Protestants questioned said they wanted Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. The poll was carried out between October and December last year and over 1,205 adults were questioned.

Reaction to the survey has been mixed with politicians and commentators suggesting a series of reasons for the dramatic drop in support for reunification.

Most point to the turbulent economic climate in the Republic coupled with continued political stability in Northern Ireland as the main reasons for the shift in attitudes.



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/is-catholic-support-for-a-united-ireland-on-the-wane-16013433.html#ixzz2HxiFFk2G

[kevcl6750]

Leon Uris, an American Jew, wrote a book about Ireland called " A Terrible Beauty" He also wrote books about the holocaust in WW2 Germany. According to Uris British treatment of the Irish over a 500 year period makes Hitlers treatment of the Jews pale in comparison. Ireland was Englands' first colony and will end up being its' last .

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

People all over the world killing each other over invisible beings in invisible places. What could be more ludicrous?

[quincytodd]

It would have been better all the way around if the English didn't conquer Ireland at all. This was no different from the way that the Russians treated the Poles after they conquered their country. These animosities continue to this day!