Northern Ireland riots: Bus hijacked and set on fire in Belfast
The Northern Ireland Executive is due to meet following the sixth consecutive night of unrest on the streets, which saw a bus hijacked and set on fire in Belfast.
Leaders will meet for the briefing on the ongoing unrest at 10am, an hour before the Stormont Assembly is to be recalled to discuss the recent scenes of violence in mainly loyalist areas.
Violent scenes including attacks on police, petrol bombings and rioting have taken place repeatedly on the streets of Belfast and Derry throughout the past week.
The unrest has been attributed to tension in loyalist communities over the Northern Ireland Protocol on Brexit – which has created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK – and the police’s handling of alleged coronavirus regulation breaches by Sinn Fein at the funeral of republican Bobby Storey.
The violence continued on Wednesday night, when a bus was set on fire, a press photographer assaulted and clashes between loyalists and nationalists at peace line street that links the Shankill Road with the Springfield Road in west Belfast.
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At least seven officers injured in Wednesday’s violence
The NI Police Federation, the body that represents rank and file PSNI officers, has said at least seven officers were injured in the latest night of rioting in Northern Ireland.
Federation chair Mark Lindsay said: “The latest information I have is that there were seven more injured last night and that’s only officers whose injuries were reported at the time and that includes injuries to lower limbs and some concussion.
“Obviously my thoughts are with them this morning, but we’re probably going see some more injuries documented as the day goes on.”
Mr Lindsay said Wednesday’s violence was “disturbing” and escalated a “couple of notches” from the disorder witnessed over previous days.
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 08:47
Clashes at peace line
Last night, the gates of the peace line on Lanark Way were opened, leading to clashes between loyalists and nationalists.
Footage captured petrol bombs being thrown from both sides of the wall:
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 08:44
Johnson ‘deeply concerned’
Boris Johnson said last night he was “deeply concerned” by the scenes in Northern Ireland – especially attacks on police, a bus driver and a journalist:
But Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary replied, accusing him of a “vacuum of leadership”:
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 08:10
‘Tempting fate’
Here is what one Labour MP has to say about the violence:
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 07:58
Bus hijacked and set on fire in Belfast
The meeting comes the morning after violence escalated on the sixth consecutive night of unrest on the streets of Northern Ireland.
A bus was hijacked and set on fire in Belfast in one of the several incidents on the peace line street that links the loyalist Shankill Road with the nationalist Springfield Road.
Sam Hancock has the full story:
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 07:49
Northern Ireland Executive to meet for briefing on unrest
The Northern Ireland Executive is to meet this morning to be briefed on the ongoing unrest seen over the last week.
News of the meeting was confirmed late on Wednesday night with trouble still raging on the streets of Belfast.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “The Executive will meet tomorrow morning to be briefed on the violence and street disorder which is causing huge distress in local communities at this time.
“Those involved in violence, criminal damage, manipulation of our young people and attacks on the police must stop.”
Leaders will meet at 10am – an hour before the Stormont Assembly is to be recalled to discuss the recent scenes of violence.
Zoe Tidman8 April 2021 07:37