The Five Demands

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Il Sinn Fein  accusa il Real IRA dei disordini che stanno caratterizzando il Nord dalla giornata di ieri.
Gerry Kelly ha dichiarato: “Il Real IRA o in qualunque modo essi si chiamino ed alcune altre organizzazioni hanno inviato persone con l’unico scopo di provocare disordini, e sprofondare in questo settarismo”.
Pronta la smentita del 32 County Sovereignty Movement, movimento politico legato ai dissidenti repubblicani.
Il leader del partito Gerry Adams ha condannato la violenza e ha affermato che l’Orange Order dovrebbe prendere in considerazione l’idea di rivedere i percorsi delle proprie parate.
Tornando alla cronaca dei disordini, almeno un colpo è stato sparato dai repubblicani contro il PSNI e numerosi scontri sono avvenuti in tutto il Nord.
Circa 20 i feriti tra le file della polizia che non ha esitato ad utilizzare idranti e manganelli.
Nell’area di Ardoyne, nove agenti di polizia sono stati feriti e tre veicoli dirottati.
Un reporter della BBC ha testimoniato di aver visto un rivoltoso mascherato sparare contro gli agenti.
Un fucile carico è stato consegnato al PSNI dopo essere stato sequestrato ad un gruppo di bambini che stavano giocando con l’arma.
Padre Gary Donegan, sacerdote di Ardoyne, sostiene che i disordini siano stati avviati da gente estranea arrivata in zona proprio per questo scopo, dando l’impressione di una perfetta organizzazione dietro agli eventi che sono poi seguiti.
Le violenze si sono protratte anche nella notte con lanci di molotov, pietre, razzi. Due o tre furgoni sono stati dirottati e spinti contre le linee della polizia.
Il PSNI ha promesso una rigorosa indagine per giungere all’identificazione dei responsabili.
Nelle prime ore di questa mattina, gli artificeri sono stati chiamati ad intervenire su un’allerta bomba nella zona di Lurgan, dopo il ritrovamento di un dispositivo sospetto su un’auto dirottata in precedenza. L’allarme si è poi dimostrato infondato.
Analogo incidente a Strabane.
A Derry sono state lanciate 39 molotov nell’area del Memorial Hall, ma non vi sono notizie di feriti.
Ad Armagh, un poliziotto è stato bersaglio di lanci di razzi e vernice dopo essere accorso sul luogo di un allarme sicurezza, nell’area in cui era avvenuta un piccola esplosione.
Quattro persone sono state arrestate per reati di ordine pubblico e almeno due autovetture sono state rubate e date alle fiamme.
Anche a Rasharkin sono avvenuti lanci di pietre e mattoni verso gli ufficiali di polizia, che hanno lamentato solo qualche ferita lieve. Un uomo arrestato.

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Real IRA blamed for Belfast riots (BBC News Northern Ireland)
The Real IRA has been blamed by Sinn Fein for trouble in north Belfast. At least one shot was fired at police by republicans and there were other disturbances after Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland. Twenty-one police officers were hurt across Northern Ireland and baton rounds and water cannon were used. In the Ardoyne area of Belfast nine police officers were injured and three vehicles hijacked. Police said they fired 18 baton rounds. A BBC reporter saw a masked rioter fire a single shot from a handgun towards the police. A loaded rifle was also handed into police after a group of children were seen playing with it. Ardoyne priest Father Gary Donegan said the trouble was started by outsiders. “Myself and many people were looking at people last night that we’d never seen in the area before in our lives. “It was as if people had been bussed into the area for this very purpose and that this was being very much orchestrated,” he said. Violence in the area continued into Monday night, with petrol bombs, fireworks, stones, and bottles thrown at police after they tried to move rioters away from a parade route. Two of three vans which were hijacked were pushed at police lines. Police promised a “rigorous investigation” to identify those who had taken part in the trouble. Incidents also took place in several other towns across Northern Ireland. In the early hours of Tuesday, police and Army bomb disposal experts were called to a security alert in Lurgan, County Armagh. It was sparked by a suspicious object in a car that was hijacked earlier. It was later declared a hoax. There was a similar incident in Strabane, County Tyrone. In the Memorial Hall area of Londonderry, 11 petrol bombs were thrown during Monday’s disturbances, but there were no reports of any injuries or arrests. Earlier rival groups had taunted each other as Orangemen and a small number of bands made their way through the city’s Diamond area. Both sides spat at each other and threw missiles. Police separated factions, but were themselves attacked by nationalists throwing stones and bottles. In Armagh, police came under attack with missiles and paint following a security alert at Friary Road in which a minor explosion occurred. Four people have been arrested for public order offences and at least two cars were also stolen and set alight in the city. In Rasharkin, County Antrim, officers also sustained minor injuries when they were struck by stones and bricks. One man was arrested. ‘Bigotry and intolerance’ PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay said it was disappointing “isolated outbreaks of violence had marred the day for all communities”. He said: “Right across Northern Ireland there were hundreds of parades that passed off peacefully. “However, it is very disappointing that there were a minority of people, in north Belfast, Derry, Armagh, Rasharkin and other parts of Northern Ireland who showed total disregard for local communities. “They displayed the worst possible face of Northern Ireland – a face of bigotry, sectarianism and intolerance that is not representative of the vast majority of people who have moved on and embraced a peaceful future.” Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said a “a small number of dissident republicans from outside Ardoyne” had stoked sectarian tensions and orchestrated the trouble. He said: “The Real IRA or whatever they may call themselves and some other splinter organisations sent people over here with the sole aim to cause riots, to bring this further down into sectarianism.” The Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams condemned the violence and said the Orange Order should consider re-routing a small number of contentious parades, including those which pass the Ardoyne. “Why play into the hands of those who orchestrated last night disturbances?,” he said. “I would appeal to the Orangemen – they’re not giving a victory to anyone if they just take an alternative route to where they want to go.”