Ó DONNGHAILE, I LEALISTI ASSEDIANO IL BELFAST CITY HALL
Cars attacked in City Hall protest (UTV)
A protest outside Belfast City Hall led to angry scenes on Monday night, as loyalists continue to call for the resignation of the Lord Mayor.
Crowds gathered outside as the council met to further discuss the row that was sparked when Sinn Féin’s Niall Ó Donnghaile refused to present a Duke of Edinburgh award to an Army cadet.
But, with an amended motion to accept his apology passed by the majority, cars were attacked as councillors left the building.
Those protesting hurled abuse at politicians and police struggled to hold them back.
Belfast City Council’s 19 unionist representatives all voted against accepting Mr Ó Donnghaile’s apology, but the motion was carried by the Alliance Party, Sinn Féin and the SDLP.
“What the Lord Mayor did was wrong and deeply offensive, but he did apologise last week – an apology that was accepted by the young Army cadet’s family,” Alliance councillor Maire Hendron, who proposed the amended motion, said.
“This episode shows the need for us to move forward and agree to a shared future.
“However, it also shows that we need to deal with the legacy of the past and until we do so we will not be able to move forward.”