Missiles fired at police as watercannon deployed in second night of Belfast unrest

Police fire water cannons at protesters near the Sandyknowes roundabout. Picture: PA/PA Wire

Missiles have been thrown at police officers in Newtownabbey this evening in a second night of unrest following Monday’s stabbing in Belfast.

Earlier today, Hadi Alodid, aged 30, appeared in court charged with attempted murder over the knife attack in which victim Stephen Ogilvie lost an eye.

Tonight, a PSNI post on social media urged motorists to avoid an area in Glengormley, Newtownabbey, “due to ongoing disorder this evening”. The area is around 10km from Belfast.

A group of around 300 people, mostly men in dark clothing and face coverings, had gathered, reportedly to target a hotel housing migrants nearby.

Police moved in with water cannons to try to disperse protesters, who pelted their vans and riot shields with rocks. One young protester in a balaclava in the colours of the union flag repeatedly came forward to take aim at the police.

“Attention, attention, disperse immediately or water cannons will be used, no further warnings will be given,” blared from the police vehicles.

An older woman sat in a bus stop between the line of riot police and protesters, pulling up her hood to shield herself from the water. “She said she’s lived through the Troubles, she not going to move,” another woman said.

The PSNI post on social media said: “Crowds have gathered & missiles are being thrown at officers who have now deployed the water cannon in an attempt to maintain public order.” 

Police also advised motorists to avoid the Ardmore Road at the Church Brae junction in Derry “due to items set alight".

Meanwhile, gatherings have also been reported in Coleraine and at Stormont.

Earlier this evening, police said they had become aware of social media users posting “address details online, or sharing these through communication apps”.

In a statement, the PSNI said: “Highlighting properties in this way is totally unacceptable. We have received phone calls from a number of families, house owners, neighbours and members of the wider community who are extremely distressed as a result of this reckless activity.

"This is unacceptable. It is putting lives at risk and has to stop. Anyone who shares personal information online with the intention to endanger others may be committing a criminal offence. Any person who publishes or distributes material which is threatening or abusive may also be committing an offence. We will be investigating any such posts which come to our attention.” 

The PSNI also said that officers had become aware of “inaccurate images circulating claiming to be the victim” of Monday night’s attack in Belfast.

The statement said: “They are not related to anyone involved in the attempted murder. We believe these images are being used to arouse fear and hatred. We would reiterate that members of the public should not share footage of the attack.”

Billionaire Elon Musk has rejected claims that he is to blame for inciting disorder in Belfast.

In a post on X, the platform he owns, Mr Musk retweeted a post from Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate at the recent Gorton and Denton byelection, saying: "It’s not social media that’s “inflaming tensions”. It’s not Elon Musk. It’s not Nigel Farage. It’s not the ‘far-right’. It is the very deliberate policy of mass uncontrolled immigration & open borders. This policy has to end or it will destroy Western nations."

Mr Musk added his own comment on Goodwin’s tweet, saying: “Exactly.”

- Irish Examiner and The Guardian