On Friday evening and night, a total of 27 officers were injured in riots. In Belfast’s predominantly Protestant Sandy Row neighborhood, rioters attacked police with bricks, metal bars, fireworks and manhole covers. Fifteen officers sustained burns and head wounds, one of them also broke a leg.
Seven rioters in the Belfast area have been arrested, including two children aged 13 and 14.
Things got out of hand in the city of Londonderry yesterday for the fifth night in a row. Twelve officers were injured.
Customs border due to Brexit
Due to Brexit, an external border of the EU was created on 1 January between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To protect the Northern Ireland peace, no hard land border with controls has been introduced on the Irish island. There was, however, a customs border in the sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain to regulate trade between the EU and the United Kingdom.
This new trade barrier has already led to mounting tensions in the pro-British community in recent months. In the port city of Larne, for example, threatening texts were painted on walls.
“There is now a border right across the country we belong to. This is undermining Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom,” said a DUP politician. recently opposite the NOS about the anger. The DUP is the largest Protestant Unionist party in Northern Ireland.
Accusations
Opponents of the DUP now accuse that party of instigating the riots. “With their words and deeds, they have sent a very dangerous message to the young people,” said Gerry Kelly from pro-Irish party Sinn Féin MP.
According to the DUP, Sinn Féin is to blame for the unrest. Rioters are said to act out of frustration with the decision of the Northern Ireland judiciary not to prosecute Sinn Féin’s party members for violating corona rules.
–
