The Five Demands

Rioters ‘shame flag’, says Villiers (Belfast Telegraph)

Loyalist rioters who wreaked chaos in Belfast over a dispute on flying the Union flag have only brought dishonour and shame to their cause, the UK Government said.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told the Commons there was nothing British about the “thuggish, lawless and despicable” behaviour that also saw a murder bid on a police woman and a death threat issued to East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long.

The Democratic Unionist Party said police have informed two of its senior elected representatives, and their family members, they have also been subject to death threats – though it is unclear whether they emanated from loyalists or republicans.

Disorder has broken out at loyalist protests organised against last week’s vote by Belfast City Council to reduce the number of days the Union flag flies over City Hall.

Thirty-two police officers have been hurt and almost 40 people have been arrested in eight days of violence.

“No one can be in any doubt about this Government’s support for the Union and its flag, but those people engaged in the kind of violence we have seen in the past few days are not defending the Union flag,” said Mrs Villiers. “There is nothing remotely British about what they are doing; they are dishonouring and shaming the flag of our country with their lawless and violent activities. They discredit the cause they claim to support.”

She added: “There can be absolutely no excuse or justification for the kind of thuggishness and lawless behaviour; it is despicable, we condemn it unreservedly and it must stop immediately.”

Despite calls from Westminster and across the political divide in Northern Ireland for an end to the demonstrations, fresh pickets were held in the south and north of the city.

Representatives of all unionist parties and independents in the Assembly met to discuss the fallout of the removal of the Union flag from Belfast City Hall.

They discussed a consultation process regarding the flying of the flag from Parliament Buildings, Stormont. In attendance were First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Mike Nesbitt, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice Jim Allister, Ukip representative David McNarry and Independent David McClarty MLA.

Roads blocked in flag protests (UTV)

A crowd of around 150 people have protested outside East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long’s constituency office.

The demonstration on the Upper Newtownards Road is understood to have passed peacefully and the crowd is now dispersing from the area.

The group marched to the office following a meeting nearby where east Belfast DUP MLA Sammy Douglas and UUP MLA Michael Copeland were in attendance.

The latest protest follows Monday night’s attack on police officers guarding the office.

The windows of the patrol car were smashed by a masked gang and a petrol bomb was thrown inside while an officer was still in the vehicle.

The incident, which was the latest in a series against the party and police, has been described by the PSNI as an “attempt to kill a police officer”.

Last week the east Belfast MP received a death threat following a series of demonstrations at the premises.

Peter Cardwell@peter_utv
Protestors now moving off back to Dee Street. DUP and UUP politicians present.
11 Dec 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
Meanwhile crowds blocked a number of roads in Belfast on Tuesday amid continued protests over the flying of the Union flag.

Disruption to traffic is reported in the Crumlin Road/Ligoniel Road area where a group of around 20 young people have gathered.

A small crowd which gathered at the entrance to the Mount Vernon estate has dispersed and the Shore Road has reopened to traffic.

A crowd of around 70 people, including men, women and children, had gathered on the Donegall Road in south Belfast.

They have ignored police calls to move off the road but did step aside at Tavanagh Street to allow an ambulance through.

The Donegall Road was closed but has since cleared.

It is the ninth consecutive night of protests sparked by a controversial vote concerning the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall last Monday.

The Milltown Road in west Belfast was also closed because of a protest and the Finaghy Road remains blocked at the crossroads with the upper Lisburn Road.

In north Belfast the Oldpark Road in Ballysillan is also closed due to a protest. A PSNI spokesman said police are working to keep all main arterial routes open.

Shauna McKeown@shauna_utv
PUP leader Billy Hutchinson at Mount Vernon road block has told me the protests should continue.
11 Dec 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
On Monday night 43 separate illegal road blocks took place, with violence breaking out at four areas.

Police have appealed to anyone who saw a petrol bomb thrown into a patrol car in east Belfast on Monday to contact them.

A gang of 15 youths tossed the device into the vehicle on the Newtownards Road, close to Alliance MP Naomi Long’s office.

PSNI chiefs said a female police officer who was in the car at the time fo the attack was lucky to escape with her life.

Police want to speak to anyone who was in the area of Grampian Avenue, Holywood Arches and Ravenscroft Avenue at their junctions with the Newtownards Road between 7pm and 8pm.

The officers had been with their vehicle in the area when it was attacked and set on fire with a petrol bomb by a number of youths.

Meanwhile an 18-year-old man has been charged with riotous assembly after disorder in the Village area of south Belfast on Monday.

He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.