CCTV ‘spy’ cameras fired upon near parade route

A security camera which nationalists say is being used to spy upon them was fired at and tyres were burned around its base, police revealed today.

The closed circuit television system was installed by police in the nationalist Estoril Park district in Ardoyne, north Belfast.

A police spokeswoman said the equipment was found to have been hit by ‘‘high velocity gunfire’’.

She said: ‘‘A number of bangs were heard in the area shortly after midnight. At around the same time, while police were deployed to a public order confrontation situation at the area of the Ardoyne shop fronts, further fire damage was caused to the equipment.’’

The installation is close to the flashpoint Ardoyne shops area where Orangemen will parade past during Friday’s Twelfth of July celebrations.

A decision to allow the controversial march provoked fury among Catholics in the area and rekindled memories of last year’s riots at the same point which sparked a summer of disorder in north Belfast.

It is understood the camera continued to work following the attack.