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Young men in conflict with police in Northern Ireland

The police reportedly tried to prevent a group of Irish nationalists from clashing with a pro-British group. The rioting took place in the area around Springfield Road before the police disbanded the groups. A cameraman spoke to by Reuters said that about 100 young men began to walk in a row toward an armored police car, and that some began throwing stones.

The escalation of violence led to major unrest in neighboring Britain and Ireland in particular Media reports About the so-called Loyalists are planning new protests this weekend.

“This must end before he is killed or seriously injured,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told RTÉ, the public service channel.

His Prime Minister Michel Martin condemned the violence and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Twitter He was deeply concerned.

‘Poor’ attacks

Representatives of the main parties in Northern Ireland, Irish left-wing nationalist Sean Fein and the pro-British Unionist National Union – who do not usually agree much – seem to agree.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster and other party leaders in the Regional Parliament held an emergency meeting in Stormont on Thursday, as Northern Ireland Police Chief, Chief of Staff, Simon Byrne, spoke about the security situation. After that, the politicians made a joint statement strongly condemning the unrest.

She added, “Destruction, violence and the threat of violence are totally unacceptable and unjustified whatever fears may exist in society.”

In particular, the bombing of a fuel bus, which injured its driver, and the attack on a photojournalist in Belfast were highlighted as “unfortunate”, AFP reported.

Shortly after the meeting, Stormont, whose members cut short the Easter holidays, was scheduled to gather.

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Growing frustration

Violence rocked Northern Ireland over the past week with riots in the cities of Belfast, Derry, Newtownby and Carrickfergus, the newspaper reported. Watchman. Many were injured when protesters burned cars and threw petrol bombs.

These are scenes that we haven’t seen in Northern Ireland for a very long time and that many people thought we missed in history. Now a collective effort is needed to reduce tensions, says Simon Coveney.

Condemns violence

The wave of violence has since voiced increasing frustration with Britain’s loyalists at the post-Brexit trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.

In addition, outrage erupted against the police as no charges were brought against Sinn Féin’s party for violating covid-19 restrictions in connection with last year’s funeral for well-known IRA member Bobby Story. This decision led Sinn Fein’s political opponent, to demand the resignation of the provincial police chief.

Sinn Fein, in turn, accuses the DUP of de-escalating tensions by staunchly opposing the new trade rules and calling for the police chief to resign.

Some of the violence is said to have links with criminals. Jonathan Roberts, Northern Ireland’s deputy chief of staff, says it is possible that paramilitary organizations have been involved in the unrest, according to Public Service Channel. BBC.

Tina Magniergaard Beers / TT

Ann Edleden / Tt

An explosion in clashes between so-called nationalists and loyalists in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Photo: Peter Morrison / AP / TT

A hijacked bus caught fire on Shankill Road in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, after it was set ablaze by British loyalists.

A hijacked bus caught fire on Shankill Road in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, after it was set ablaze by British loyalists. Photo: Peter Morrison / AP / TT

Northern Ireland erupted in the late 1960s into riots and violence between pro-London trade unionists and pro-Irish Republicans. On both sides there were armed movements that used killing and bombing. More than 3,600 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured in the conflict.

In the so-called Good Friday Agreement of 1998, various political groups and the governments of Great Britain and Ireland agreed on the terms of the division of power. The agreement means, among other things, that the borders must be kept open and that the people of the North are free to choose whether they want to be Irish citizens, British citizens, or both. At the same time, Northern Ireland has the right to exit and join the Republic of Ireland, if approved in referendums on both sides of the border.

Since 2007, Northern Ireland has had a functioning regional government for long periods. Since 2015, Northern Ireland has only been ruled by the DUP and Sean Fein, but in early 2017 the government fell, when Sinn Fein left the coalition government. After three years of stalemate, the parties were able to agree on a division of power, and in January, Stormont’s regional parliament was able to reconvene.

The deal’s problems overshadowed Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union negotiations, with the question of what the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland should look like was among the most difficult to resolve. The consequences of Brexit remain difficult to deal with in domestic politics.