Holy Cross closed following street riots

The Catholic primary school at the eye of the latest violence to engulf North Belfast was closed today to prevent any of its young pupils being injured.

A dispute between parents and loyalist residents of the nearby Glenbryn area as children were being collected from Holy Cross school yesterday spilled over into hours of widespread street rioting which left at least 17 police officers injured.

Father Aiden Troy, chairman of the school board of governors, said it was impossible to open the school today, and hinted the shut-down could be for longer.

‘‘The safety of the children is the prime consideration and until such time as we can get the children safely back to school I, as the chairman of the board of governors, have to be very conscious of that.

‘‘In my heart I have no intention or desire to close that school, but equally not one child can be put at risk.’’

He said he had decided on a one day closure ‘‘initially’’ to see if anything can be done to resolve the situation.

Over 200 police backed up by 200 more troops were drafted into the area to keep rival loyalist and nationalist mobs apart - and eventually both sides turned on the police.