Is there rioting in Belfast?
After four nights of rioting in Derry, disturbances spread to south Belfast on 2 April, where a loyalist protest developed into a riot involving iron bars, bricks, masonry and petrol bombs….
| 2021 Northern Ireland riots | |
|---|---|
| Date | 30 March – 9 April 2021 |
| Location | Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, Derry, and Carrickfergus |
Why are loyalists rioting?
The recent violence can be attributed to several factors, but at its heart is anger among loyalists – staunch supporters of the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland – at post-Brexit trading arrangements which have created a series of economic barriers.
What is the current violence in Northern Ireland about?
To many observers, the violence recalls the conflict known as “The Troubles,” which for three decades pitted pro-British loyalists and unionists against Irish nationalists who wanted Northern Ireland to break free from the United Kingdom and unite with the independent Republic of Ireland.
What is causing the trouble in Northern Ireland?
While Brexit has caused simmering underlying tensions, the seven nights of violence in Belfast were sparked by a decision from Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service to not prosecute 24 high-ranking members of Sinn Fein, the nationalist party, who had breached COVID-19 regulations by attending a funeral for …
Is West Belfast Catholic or Protestant?
As you can see, west Belfast is mainly Catholic, in most areas over 90%. For many years, the Catholic population expanded to the southwest, but in recent years it has started expanding around the Shankill and into north Belfast. The east of the city is predominantly Protestant, typically 90% or more.
What does Republican mean in Ireland?
Irish republicanism (Irish: poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate.
Is the Shankill Protestant or Catholic?
The Falls Road transformed from a small lane into a heavily populated district in its own right. This area, though, was dominated by an Irish Catholic population, while the Shankill remained Protestant and Unionist.
Where are the loyalist protesters in Northern Ireland?
Police attend the scene at Cloughfern roundabout, Newtownabbey, as loyalist protesters hijack and burn vehicles on 4 April 2021. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Why was there riots in Northern Ireland on Easter weekend?
Political leaders have also called for calm over the Easter weekend following the riots. Tension over the UK-EU Brexit deal’s Northern Ireland Protocol, the establishment of a border in the Irish Sea, has been simmering in the loyalist community for months.
Where did the rioting in Belfast take place?
During serious rioting on Belfast’s Shankill Road and Sandy Row senior UVF and UDA figures were seen looking on as youths attacked officers with petrol bombs and masonry.
Where was car set on fire in Cloughfern?
Mr Jones also said a care home was damaged in the Nelson Drive area during the trouble causing “untold fear and distress” to residents. He said it was “totally unacceptable” that Friday was the fifth successive night of disturbances in the unionist Waterside area of the city.