Belfast: Youth due in court after loyalist riot

A 16-year-old has been arrested following a loyalist riot at a Catholic religious ceremony in north Belfast yesterday.

The teenager is expected in court today in connection with the disturbances at the annual blessing of the graves ceremony in Carnmoney cemetery.

Around 200 loyalist protestors tried to prevent Catholics from attending the service and then disrupted the proceedings by blaring car horns, blowing whistles and jeering.

The noisy protest eventually degenerated into violence, with stones thrown and a car hijacked and set on fire.

Earlier this month, five Celtic crosses at Carnmoney cemetery were smashed and death threats were made against the local parish priest, Fr Dan Whyte.

Both Catholics and Protestants are buried in the cemetery, which is located in a predominantly Protestant area. Fr Whyte said yesterday’s protest was a disgraceful exhibition of anti-Catholic bigotry.