Protestants and Catholics last night hurled petrol bombs at each other on the ‘Peace Wall’ as violence escalated on Friday night of riots in Belfast.

Loyal youths threw Molotov cocktails across the interface into nationalist areas – where returned fire was fired – and set fires in the streets as police tried to maintain order.

Confederate thugs also robbed and hurled petrol bombs at a bus and set it on fire on Shankill Road while hundreds of others marched along the street in scenes reminiscent of the Troubles.
Meanwhile, masked rioters threw petrol bombs at police at the Lanark Way intersection and attacked a newspaper photographer – smashing his camera and shouting sectarian words at him. offense.

PSNI said as of Thursday morning, 55 of its officers had been injured during several nights of turmoil in the country.

Boris Johnson and Arlene Foster were quick to condemn the actions, the Prime Minister calling for ‘dialogue’ while the DUP leader said there was ‘no reason to justify violence’.

The Northern Ireland executive convened an emergency meeting of politicians on Thursday morning to be briefed on the mayhem and then issued a joint statement expressing disappointment at the devastation. .

Violence over the past week flared after prosecutors said no action would be taken against 24 Sinn Fein politicians – including First Deputy Michelle O’Neill – for holding a large republican funeral. during the pandemic.

They came to serve Bobby Storey – an IRA terrorist from Belfast who died after a failed lung transplant – on June 30 with about 1,500 people defying Covid regulations.

Loyalists are also angry at the post-Brexit trade deals that have created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK. They see the Northern Ireland Protocol as undermining their position in the Union.
The gate of the peace wall on Lanark Road – which separates Shankill Road from predominantly Nationalist Springfield Road loyalists – was forced open last night, leading to clashes between young members of the two communities.

The shocking video shows petrol bombs being thrown from both sides of the wall – in a dramatic increase in sectarian violence. The bus was hijacked by Loyal thugs on Shankill Road at the intersection of nationalist and unionist communities. The masked youths removed the handbrake and let it roll down the hill before the gang transported the burning bottles through the front door and it quickly caught fire. PSNI’s armored Land Rover Tangis ran past the vehicle and rushed in front of it to force it to a halt.

When they made a difficult move, the crowd threw rocks and more fire bombs at them before running away. A crowd of about 500 people, mostly adults, also gathered around the corner of the intersection at Lanark Way as events unfolded. Further down the road, a campfire was lit where a crowd of about 100 people, mostly young people, gathered.

Video footage later in the evening shows the bus smoldering, engulfed in flames. Earlier, Belfast Telegraph photographer Kevin Scott said he was assaulted by two of the rioters. The newspaper’s image editor tweeted: ‘Amazing – I just got jumped from behind by two masked men on Cupar Road.

‘One person pulled me to the ground and smashed the camera. When I was fighting this one, I was asked to go back to your own zone, you fenian c**t by the other. The police have informed.’ He added ‘what happened to me tonight is disgusting, but not to this extent’ – referring to the bus driver.

Mr Johnson tweeted: ‘I am deeply concerned by the scenes of violence in Northern Ireland, in particular the attacks on PSNI who are protecting the public and businesses, attacks on a vehicle driver bus and assaulted a journalist.

‘The way to resolve differences is through dialogue, not violence or crime.’

First Minister Mrs Foster condemned the attacks on Twitter, saying: ‘There is no justification for violence. That is wrong and should be stopped.’

She then added: ‘This is not protest. This is vandalism and attempted murder. These actions do not represent syndicalism or staunchism.

‘They are a shame to Northern Ireland and only serve to focus on the real lawbreakers in Sinn Fein. My thoughts are with the bus driver.’

Sinn Fein First Deputy and Vice President Ms O’Neill said: ‘The shameful crime scenes tonight include a potentially deadly attack on a bus driver and assault on a journalist.

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