“Masked Men Throw Petrol Bombs at Police in Londonderry Ahead of Biden Visit”

Improvised petrol bombs have been thrown at police in the Northern Ireland border town of Londonderry. This happened during an unannounced protest march by pro-Irish nationalists against the Good Friday Agreements. No one was injured.

The minor incident comes a day before US President Biden arrives in Northern Ireland for a four-day visit. The police fear possible attacks and violence.

In Londonderry (called Derry by Catholics), officers were pelted with Molotov cocktails and other objects today, the police said in a statement. Photos show that the perpetrators are masked persons. Participants in the protest march strongly oppose the peace declaration, which was signed 25 years ago this Easter weekend.

In this video, two residents, one Catholic and one Protestant, look back on the Good Friday Agreement:

Londonderry played a key role in the bloody conflict between pro-British unionists and pro-Irish nationalists. There are still occasional violent incidents, outbursts or attacks. In 2019, for example, a journalist was shot dead in the city.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by members of the New IRA militant movement. This armed group opposes the influence of the British government and is a splinter movement of the original Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Police said last week that there are strong indications that the New IRA wants to use the 25th anniversary of the peace agreement for new actions. For example, there would be plans to lure the police into a trap. Hundreds of additional agents have been made available.

Due to the tense situation, Biden’s visit is under a magnifying glass. British media state that his program has been shortened as a precaution. The 80-year-old president has one public activity scheduled in Northern Ireland, namely a speech on a university campus in Belfast.