Post by Salem6 on Jul 13, 2005 5:16:02 GMT
Sixty officers have been injured, including one seriously, during rioting in north Belfast, police have said.
Rioters have attacked police with petrol and blast bombs
Officers were attacked with petrol and blast bombs as they withdrew from the Ardoyne shops area after the return leg of an Orange Order parade to Ligoniel.
BBC NI Security Editor Brian Rowan said an informed source told him dissident republicans linked to the Continuity IRA were behind the blast bomb attacks.
Police arrested several people for public order offences.
It is understood the police officer's injury is not life theatening.
A BBC journalist was also hurt during the rioting.
Security forces were also attacked in Brompton Park. A car was hi-jacked and burned and police used a water cannon on nationalist protesters.
In agreement with police, 15 protesters were allowed to stand on a wall overlooking the route as the Orangemen passed holding aloft a banner saying 'make sectarianism history'.
The Twelfth of July Orange Order parades mark the victory of the Protestant Prince William of Orange over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who was with the protesters, said "the vast majority of people had demonstrated peacefully".
Police were attacked with petrol bombs
"When the police moved in what I think was quite a reckless manner they took management completely away from the stewards," he said.
"They brought the water cannon in too quickly, we should have been allowed to keep order."
The SDLP's Alex Attwood described the rioting as an "utter disgrace".
"Having stood on police lines all night I can say the police behaviour has been characterised by restraint and compliance with minimum force required," he said.
"Their behaviour is justified by no standards whatsoever. Those responsible have a great deal to account for."
Police praised both nationalist residents and Orangemen as the morning parade passed through without incident following a peaceful protest.
About 60 protesters who had blocked the road were removed by police.
Taunts exchanged
In Londonderry, the outward leg of the parade was peaceful, but there was trouble on the way back in the Diamond.
The trouble began after groups of nationalists and loyalists exchanged taunts. About 10 petrol bombs were thrown at the police.
Loyalists have left the area, but there was a standoff between police and nationalists which ended following mediation by local representatives.
Three people, including a policewoman, were injured in the disturbances. A number of people have been arrested.
Earlier, Chief Superintendent Richard Russell praised the agreement reached with the Bogside Residents' Group which saw the morning's parade pass off peacefully.
He said what the police and most people wanted to see were local agreements and accommodations on parades.
Protest
Speaking after Tuesday morning's protest, Superintendent Gary White said his officers had acted in a disciplined and restrained manner.
Leading members of Sinn Fein, including party president Gerry Adams, were present and called for calm as police moved in to remove the protesters one-by-one. He later described the protest as disciplined and peaceful.
Meanwhile, a day-long standoff between nationalist residents and Orangemen in Dunloy in County Antrim has ended.
About 30 protesters in Dunloy were moved off the road by police
The demonstration by residents ended after talks between the police and Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness.
The standoff began when Orangemen were prevented from driving from their hall to a church in the village for a wreath laying ceremony.
One-by-one police removed about 30 nationalist protesters who were staging a sit-down protest in the village.
Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness urged a crowd of about 100 protesters to be "cool, calm and collected" shortly after arriving in the village at about 1530 BST on Tuesday.
Shortly afterwards a trailer which was blocking the road was driven off.
Police then removed a crowd of about 30 sit-down protesters from the road to the sound of slow handclapping from residents.
Sinn Fein Assembly member Phillip McGuigan was one of the protesters moved by police.
The Orangemen then drove in a convoy to the church where, six hours behind schedule, they laid a wreath and sang a hymn.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4677401.stm