Stormont Assembly to be recalled as violence continues
PSNI Land Rovers moved in when rioting broke out in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, as loyalist anger at the Irish Sea border and PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne led to violence on the streets. Picture: Alan Lewis
The Stormont Assembly is to be recalled for an emergency debate following days of violence and disorder in parts of Northern Ireland.
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long called for MLAs to debate a motion condemning the recent attacks on police in loyalist areas.
The party secured the required support of 30 assembly members for the assembly to be recalled from its Easter recess, with a sitting likely to take place on Thursday.
The move comes after police were attacked during further violence in a number of loyalist areas, amid soaring tensions within the loyalist community over post-Brexit trading arrangements, which have created new regulatory and customs barriers between Northern Ireland and the UK.
Anger ramped up further last week following a decision not to prosecute 24 Sinn Féin politicians for attending a large-scale republican funeral during Covid-19 restrictions.
All the main unionist parties have demanded the resignation of PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne, claiming he has lost the confidence of their community.
However, non-unionist parties in Northern Ireland have accused unionist leaders of creating the febrile atmosphere and stoking up tensions.
Commenting on the latest night of violence, PSNI Chief Superintendent Davy Beck branded the violence "disgraceful".
"The disorder we witnessed last night, and which our officers had to deal with, is extremely disappointing," he said.
"Yet again we have seen people make a deliberate decision to damage our communities and target our officers.
"It is extremely fortunate no one was seriously injured, or worse."
In a statement on the Assembly recall, Ms Long said: "The violence has to stop, but so does the political cover given through vague comments and empty threats.
"Anything less is just allowing a culture of lawlessness to grow and further poison our community."
Children as young as 12 have been involved in some of the violence that has been witnessed in recent days.
Cars, a JCB digger, a phone box and bins were set alight in the Waterside area of Derry on Monday.
Police said that a brick was thrown at a taxi, which was carrying a passenger at the time, on the Limavady Rd.
Officers from the PSNI tactical support group attended the loyalist Nelson Drive Estate, where a group of youths clashed with police.
The surrounding roads were blocked with fires and barricades.
It marked the seventh night police came under attack in Derry.
