Trouble at flashpoint area

A wall separates the two communities at Short Strand

Loyalists clashed with the security forces during trouble in east Belfast on Wednesday night, the police have said.

It erupted in the flashpoint Short Strand area where there have been tensions on both sides of the sectarian divide.

The police said loyalists clashed with security forces in Cluan Place and fireworks were thrown from the nationalist Clandeboye area.

There has been 15 bomb attacks, nine shooting incidents and at least 20 additional attacks on persons

Margaret McClenaghan
Sinn Fein

The security forces maintained a presence in the area until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Earlier, nationalist residents gathered to call for an end to sectarian attacks.

They blocked the Short Strand Road to protest at what they claimed were ongoing attacks in the area by loyalists.

'Bomb attacks'

The protest occurred as a member of the British-Irish Secretariat paid a routine visit to the area, and to the Ardoyne interface area in north Belfast.

Sinn Fein councillor Margaret McClenaghan said the visit by the official was intended to provide officials with a first-hand account of people's lives under "sustained loyalist attacks".

"In what can only be described as a well-orchestrated campaign there has been 15 bomb attacks, nine shooting incidents and at least 20 additional attacks on persons and property in the space of three weeks," she added.

We are disgusted that, for whatever reason, republicans are trying to provoke loyalists in the area to attack nationalists

Tim Lemon
Ulster Unionist

However, that was rejected by the Ulster Unionist Party.

Chairman of the party's east Belfast branch, Tim Lemon, said he believed the attacks in the area were "orchestrated by Sinn Fein/IRA".

"There were 22 dwellings which were occupied in Cluan Place, now there are just four and two of these are inhabited by old aged pensioners.

"This is down to unprovoked attacks by nationalists in the area. Five people have been shot by republican forces.

"We are disgusted that, for whatever reason, republicans are trying to provoke loyalists in the area to attack nationalists."

On Saturday, nationalists were blamed for provoking violent clashes in the Short Strand area which left 13 police officers injured.

Ceasefires

Sinn Fein blamed bandsmen returning from the Apprentice Boys parade in Londonderry for causing the disturbances.

They also claimed the police were heavy handed.

However, the police said missiles had been thrown into loyalist Cluan Place earlier in the day.

The police said they faced an orchestrated attack from around 200 rioters.

Tensions at the flashpoint interface have run high throughout the summer and serious rioting in June led to a call from unionist politicians for the government to review all paramilitary ceasefires.