17 arrested over Belfast riots

Seventeen people have been arrested for public order offences in the North earlier this week.

Violence erupted in west Belfast on Monday night and spread on Tuesday, the Twelfth of July, to Ardoyne in the north of the city.

Rioters threw petrol bombs, fireworks and brick at PSNI lines and officers responded with baton rounds and water cannon. Tuesday’s trouble lasted for six hours and left 26 people injured and the residential area strewn with rubble and burned-out cars.

A PSNI spokeswoman confirmed: “As of Friday July 15, 17 people, 16 males and one female, have been arrested for public order offences across Belfast on July 11 and 12 by public order inquiry teams.”

Several people have already appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court: four males, aged 18, 13, 16 and 34, were charged with riotous behaviour; one aged 24 was charged with riotous behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon and resisting arrest; and a woman aged 27 was charged with disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest and assault on police. More are expected in court in the coming days.

Police are using CCTV footage to identify rioters.

The trouble broke out during the culmination of the loyal order marching season on July 12. A parade