Short Strand under attack

[LeoMc]

apparently the water canons were used but no media coverage of it as they had been advised to leave the area....

In fairness the media were told to leave after a photographer was shot.

from 11 onwards last night they were being advised to leave...granted their safety is extremely important...But i am dubious about the canons being used.  As a previous poster had mentioned where were the riot police and why drive slowly at them and then reverse... surely they know by now the best why to deal with it..

Water canons should be filled with p155 sewer water and indeliable ink. That way the PSNI can see (and smell) the wee toe rags for the next 2 weeks and pick them up in situations less likely to escalate into further riots.

[Capt Pat]

This brings back great memories of the loyalist mob harrassing young girls on the way to primary school only to be upstaged by Bin Laden and freinds in New York.

[ziggysego]

I don't buy this crack about them not being represented at Stormont. How the hell could you? I have the utmost respect for people like Dawn Purvis, she tried her best with them. Tried to represent them, to the best of her abilities. They, however, made it impossible for her to do so, that she had to step down as PUP Leader and subsequently lost her seat at the last elections.

The PUP then replaced her with Brian Ervine. I don't know much about the man, other than he is a brother of the late David. If he's anything like David, he can't be a bad sort. He announced he was stepping down as leader, a few weeks ago. His reasonings being, to focus on his former teaching career. To me, the timing seems to be more than coincidence. Did Brian noticed the rise of the UVF again in East Belfast, tried to stop it and eventually stepped down, knowing they are a lost cause and are unable to be represented?

[orangeman]

It's alright - Peter is going to sort it all out to save our reputation:

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson has said he is prepared to get "directly involved" in attempts to resolve the trouble in his east Belfast constituency.

A photographer was shot during a second night of sectarian violence near the Catholic enclave of Short Strand.

The PSNI confirmed the trouble was orchestrated by the loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF.

Talks have been taking place between community and political leaders.

Mr Robinson told the BBC that if people feel they need to have issues addressed "I will meet them".

He said people were horrified at what had happened and recognised the "reputational damage" it was doing to the economy.

[andoireabu]

They were quicker into the Holylands

[Hoof Hearted]

They were quicker into the Holylands

is that you with the tipp jersey on !

[Franko]

Exactly what I thought.  19 (I think) arrests made in one day.

Moral of the story is - if you dont want to get caught rioting, riot properly!

[Orior]

Who was the photographer shooting when he was shot?

How do we know if Gaaboard member orangeman is actually an orangeman disguised as an orangeman?

Why do community workers not know what is going on in the community?

[johnneycool]

PSNI inactivity has to be questioned here, why are they not making wide spread arrests, why are they not out of their jeeps and confronting the thugs head on?

UVF becoming disillusioned, are we supposed to feel sorry of the drug pedalling scum?

Watched the BBC news this morning where they announced up to 500 people rioting and one arrest, the scene in the Life of Brian where the Roman Army march into the room where the people's front of Judea were hiding and marched out again with only a spoon immediately sprung to mind.

WTF, where was the water canon's, the snatch squads, riot police and even the photo's for the IN and telegraph to print at?

[ziggysego]

The PSNI have confirmed it was dissident republicans that shot the photographer last night.

[orangeman]

The PSNI have confirmed it was dissident republicans that shot the photographer last night.

Really ? Well that must be the truth then. I wonder how they know ?.

[randomtask]

The PSNI have confirmed it was dissident republicans that shot the photographer last night.

Really ? Well that must be the truth then. I wonder how they know ?.

Has a known dissident republican been arrested? or did the person who fired the shot carry round a large sign stating that he was in fact a dissident republican. stuff like that makes my blood boil. I wouldn't condemn any member of the shortstrand community who used a gun to defend their community and property against these loyalist thugs, although it was obviously unfortunate that a photographer got innocent injured. But this doesn't make them a dissident republican.

[ziggysego]

Don't shoot the messenger guys, no pun intended 

[Evil Genius]

The PSNI have confirmed it was dissident republicans that shot the photographer last night.

Really ? Well that must be the truth then. I wonder how they know ?.

Has a known dissident republican been arrested? or did the person who fired the shot carry round a large sign stating that he was in fact a dissident republican. stuff like that makes my blood boil.

As it happens, David Blevins (SKY News) reported from the scene last night that the shot which had hit the photographer had come from the Catholic side (I'm pretty sure he said "Catholic", rather than Nationalist).
I didn't think to mention it before now, in case he was just speculating etc.

P.S. Before anyone climbs in, I don't mention that in order to engage in "whataboutery" - the tramps who are attacking the Strand are inexcusable, with the thugs directing them even worse. Altogether disgraceful.

I wouldn't condemn any member of the shortstrand community who used a gun to defend their community and property against these loyalist thugs, although it was obviously unfortunate that a photographer got innocent injured. But this doesn't make them a dissident republican.

Oh dear.

You see, that sort of thinking is actually part of the problem, for what you are saying is that relying on the PSNI isn't good enough, people have the right to take the law into their own hands, even if it means possessing illegal weapons (I wonder where they got last night's gun from, and for what purpose), and even though innocents like the photographer are as likely to suffer as the thugs attacking the area.

Which, of course, is only what the Dissidents want. Which is why they target Catholic police officers in particular, i.e. so that Catholics will have even less confidence in a police force with unequal representation. So that eventually the PSNI will become "unacceptable" and places like the Short Strand become "no-go areas" once again.

Which will, in turn, give an "excuse" [sic] to the (so-called) Loyalists to attack the Short Strand once more "to root out those IRA scum etc". (I know, I know, they've never needed an excuse before now...)

And so it goes on...

[randomtask]

You see, that sort of thinking is actually part of the problem, for what you are saying is that relying on the PSNI isn't good enough, people have the right to take the law into their own hands
[/quote]

Well do you think it is honestly good enough that there were 700 rioters last night, but one women was arrested over the course of the night, will this inject the people of the short strand with confidence in the police force when they read that statistic?