Belfast rioting over removal of Union Jack

[imtommygunn]

I wondered that myself. It sounds like dissent among the ranks of the loyalist paramilitaries in the east whereas not in the west. I'm guessing Magherafeltt / Omagh haven't got too much of a presence and maybe not a factor there.

There is no point "intellectualising". These people haven't been asked what they want nor I suspect do they even know what they want. Apart from beating nationalists / catholics down. Sure they're peaceful protests don't you know.

[johnneycool]

Just a thought - these protests/riots seem to be limited to certain loyalist areas. For example why does most activity appear in be in the eastern part of the city while the likes of the Shankill doesn't have a peep coming out of it? Why are there protests outside the city seem to be located in Magherafelt & Omagh (with a few other token areas in "Operation Standstill"), which aren't generally known for major sectarian tensions yet the likes of Lurgan/North Armagh and Coleraine are fairly quiet?

I suppose East Belfast is getting a lot of publicity as there's an obvious and easy interface area of the short strand on the walk home to attack in the name of Britain. Has the broadway roundabout been blocked recently?

Blocking roads in Newtownards, Bangor, Dundonald and the likes annoys more prods than anyone else, so there's no point.

[deiseach]

Does anyone up North have any opinions on how this can be brought to an end? I can't see any mainstream Unionist politician daring to criticise the protestors, wrapped as they are in the mantle of the Ulster Covenant and the general strike, and the DUP certainly are not directing the protests - the genie is well out of the bottle. So where is the pressure for this to stop going to come from?

[Hereiam]

I think you have hit the nail on the head Fintona, plus the fact that the UDA got alot of money in recent years to be good little boys.

[take_yer_points]

Does anyone up North have any opinions on how this can be brought to an end? I can't see any mainstream Unionist politician daring to criticise the protestors, wrapped as they are in the mantle of the Ulster Covenant and the general strike, and the DUP certainly are not directing the protests - the genie is well out of the bottle. So where is the pressure for this to stop going to come from?

There's only one way to bring it to an end (highlighted below). Getting Peter back into Naomi's seat in Belfast is an added bonus...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21061643

Loyalist paramilitary leaders in east Belfast have called for an end to violence.

They issued a statement on Thursday afternoon along with church leaders and community representatives.

They appealed for peace following weeks of violence after Belfast City Council voted to restrict the number of days the union flag flies over City Hall.

"The rioting does absolutely nothing to promote any cause, but is damaging this community," the statement said.

"We would add that those who come into the area to riot and cause disturbance are not welcome.

"There have been issues with the PSNI and their tactics, however, these have and continue to be raised and dealt with at the highest level."

The statement said that those who had signed it, had their "individual views about the current protests, but all the signatories support the right to peaceful legal protests".

"This plea is about stopping the pointless violence; fear and wanton destruction being caused by a few.

"We who live, work, or who have a vested interest in east Belfast may have our differences of opinions about many matters, but we are united in our determination to stop this community from suffering further."

Gary Mason from East Belfast Mission, where the meeting was held, said the decision had been a "community effort from a number of people across the board".

"The primary plea today is that we're asking that the violence within east Belfast comes to an end," he said.

"It's not serving this community, it's demoralising this community, it's creating unemployment, so the violence must stop and that's the key message we want to get out."

In relation to the protests, Mr Mason said: "People within a democracy have a right to protest, and at the moment there are no conversations ongoing in relation to that.

"I'm sure there will be other conversations in the future about protests, politics, about democracy and all of those things undoubtedly need to happen."

Earlier on Thursday the first minister and deputy first minister held talks with the secretary of state and the Irish foreign minister on the recent protests and violence over the union flag dispute.

Teresa Villiers said it was time for "political dialogue" to replace street protests in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said Thursday's meeting, which lasted about two hours, had been arranged some time ago.

Discussions focussed not just on the flag protest, but on the need to address long-term issues, such as underlying sectarianism.

Theresa Villiers said Northern Ireland's leaders could find a resolution to the flag issue Ms Villiers said the British and Irish governments were there to support politicians in uniting communities.

She said Northern Ireland leaders could find a resolution to the flag issue.

Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore, who is also the deputy prime minister, described the meeting with the secretary of state and First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as "positive and productive".

He said the worrying images of violence that had been broadcast around the world in recent weeks had the potential to undo progress, so a positive message was required in response.

Mr Gilmore said there had also been discussions on a new round of European peace funding for Northern Ireland.

Ms Villiers visited east Belfast on Wednesday, and said the protests were counterproductive and had to stop.

The secretary of state, who met residents during her visit, described the recent violence as "intolerable".

She said it was vital that the loyalist protestors came off the streets so that a grown-up discussion could be held about how to resolve issues of identity, symbols and flags.

Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place since Belfast City Council voted to limit the number of days the union flag is flown at Belfast City Hall.

The majority of the street demonstrations have passed without incident, but some have resulted in serious rioting.

Since the vote was passed on 3 December, 102 police officers have been injured and there have been 116 arrests

[thewobbler]

Just a thought - these protests/riots seem to be limited to certain loyalist areas. For example why does most activity appear in be in the eastern part of the city while the likes of the Shankill doesn't have a peep coming out of it? Why are there protests outside the city seem to be located in Magherafelt & Omagh (with a few other token areas in "Operation Standstill"), which aren't generally known for major sectarian tensions yet the likes of Lurgan/North Armagh and Coleraine are fairly quiet?

I'm not into the whole conspiracy theory thing up north like many are, but blocking the Shankill wouldn't affect many people beyond those that live on the Shankill. Closing off main arterial routes into Belfast from the east manages to poop on many more peoples' days.

In terms of a resolution, the quickest method normally involves someone finally getting killed and the public backlash sends them packing. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

A couple of days of proper snow would help properly.

Beyond that, the only methods I can think of either involve brute force (curfews and the army), or else giving the "community leaders" a pay-off of some description. Both, though, are only short term resolutions.

A propaganda campaign, whereby those in the east are educated/brainwashed to understand that they've only done well out of the GFA, and that they might just prosper if they want to in a shared society, is a longer term solution.

But it's fufcking horrible.

[deiseach]

There's only one way to bring it to an end (highlighted below). Getting Peter back into Naomi's seat in Belfast is an added bonus...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21061643

Mr Gilmore said there had also been discussions on a new round of European peace funding for Northern Ireland.

Everything either side of the part you have highlighted is just waffle

[johnneycool]

There's only one way to bring it to an end (highlighted below). Getting Peter back into Naomi's seat in Belfast is an added bonus...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21061643

Mr Gilmore said there had also been discussions on a new round of European peace funding for Northern Ireland.

Everything either side of the part you have highlighted is just waffle

Sooner or later these peace funds for community groups or one sort or another will dry up and then what?

[deiseach]

Sooner or later these peace funds for community groups or one sort or another will dry up and then what?

There'll have to be another round of peaceful protests.

[Rois]

A couple of days of proper snow would help properly.

Ah jaysus no, that would give them an extra type of weapon! 

[ziggysego]

A couple of days of proper snow would help properly.

Ah jaysus no, that would give them an extra type of weapon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbQZ8GK2usU

[Jeepers Creepers]

Ah jaysus no, that would give them an extra type of weapon!
[/quote]

Would rather get hit with a snow ball than a petrol bomb/firework/pipe bomb/nuts & bolts/ golf ball!

[AQMP]

There's only one way to bring it to an end (highlighted below). Getting Peter back into Naomi's seat in Belfast is an added bonus...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21061643

Mr Gilmore said there had also been discussions on a new round of European peace funding for Northern Ireland.

Everything either side of the part you have highlighted is just waffle

So Eamo had the solution all the time!!  Throw in the bit about Teresa Villiers visiting East Belfast yesterday and also MMcG was in Short Strand...Jaysus, someone tell David Cameron not to pull out of the EU before the boys get their pay-off...

[heganboy]

another good reason to be Irish
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/17/irish-hostage-algeria-freed

An Irishman who was among a group of gas workers kidnapped in Algeria has been freed and is safe, Ireland's foreign ministry has said.

The 36-year-old married man from west Belfast made contact with his family at about 3pm. "He has been in touch with his family. We understand that he is safe and well. He is no longer a hostage," a ministry spokesman told Reuters.

Algerian forces launched an operation to free hostages held at a remote desert gas plant on Thursday. Details of the military operation have been difficult to confirm. Algeria's official APS news agency said the military had freed four foreign hostages; other sources said six foreign hostages had been killed and seven were still being held.

As many as 180 Algerian hostages have managed to flee, according to local sources.

The standoff began when gunmen calling themselves the Battalion of Blood stormed the In Amenas gas field on Wednesday morning. They said they were holding 41 foreigners and demanded a halt to a French military operation against fellow al-Qaida-linked Islamist militants in neighbouring Mali.

[red hander]

By the way, I thought the BBC had some sort of charter requiring it to attempt to provide balance in audience-participation shows. What's the story there, does anybody know?

Interesting point.  I know for programmes like "Question Time" there is a requirement to have a "balanced" audience.  QT was rapped over the knuckles for the audience make up after 9/11.  From what I've read here it's clear most of the audience were unbalanced.

I thought the audience was fairly well balanced, tbh ... loyalist scum, tramps, gobshites and illiterate 'community' workers.  Let's hope they don't display any brains and decide to utilise yer woman Jabba the Hun, cos she could block every road into east Belfast on her own