Police hurt in North rioting

Widespread loyalist rioting broke out in the North overnight and left several police officers injured.

A hijacked bus was used to ram a PSNI vehicle and petrol bombs and other missiles were hurled by a crowd of up o 100 loyalists in Ballyclare, Co Antrim. Officers responded with water cannon and baton rounds.

A man aged 27 was arrested for riotous behaviour in the Derry town of Magherafelt and homes were attacked by sectarian bigots. Police were targeted with missiles they tried to remove barricades placed across a road close to a bonfire site.

Several vehicles were also hijacked in the nearby areas of Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey overnight. Calm was restored later in the morning.

Loyalists in Co Antrim have been protesting after accusing police of removing flags. This is the traditional marching season for the Orange Order and many Protestant districts are flying flags and bunting.

Nationalist SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt said there had been a significant escalation in the flying of paramilitary flags across Northern Ireland this summer.

“This has caused considerable distress in communities on both sides of the divide,” he said.

“The police cannot fix the problem of flags long-term, but it must be fixed politically and with real leadership from the top.

“It is with deep regret that for the past five years Sinn Fein and the DUP have failed to progress the establishment of a meaningful flags protocol, which would control the flying of flags, particularly in contentious situations.”

Yesterday morning, Orange bunting was removed in Clogher, Co Tyrone.

Lord (Maurice) Morrow said: “Those who removed the bunting do not represent the people of Clogher. They are attempting to introduce tension into a situation where no tension previously existed.

“Clogher is a peaceful rural town where both communities live side by side. Those who carried out this act of vandalism are filled with sectarian motives and want to drag our community backwards.”

“Whilst some may disagree with the Orange Order they should have the decency to respect the culture of their Protestant neighbours. I would appeal that there is no retaliation for this criminal act and we will have a successful Twelfth in Clogher.”