Ardoyne 2010 Recreational rioting. It's a new word in the rich vocabulary of Belfast.
Ardoyne, July 15, comes slowly north. Fourth night of riots.
started - you could say traditionally, because the total so every year - from the march Oranżystów July 12. Been known for years that the small roundabout on the Crumlin Road is the place of inflammation.
is already quieter than in previous nights - although on a street corner burning car. Before shopping, where else took place a day earlier sharp clashes with the police is the police cordon of armored cars and effectively blocks all activities of young rioters. You lurk around the corner. Every now and then around the corner toward the police "camp" to recommend a stone or a firecracker. You can see that after three nights of clashes, however, are zadymiarze little tired. Bystanders take pictures the burning wreck, sitting on the stone wall next to a small group of young "hooded". The stench of burning tires mixed with the smell of grass.
the days of The Troubles the British army and the police do not ventured on the streets of Ardoyne. Zone are considered too dangerous to risk sending uniformed there. The district authorities have exercised dwudziestotysięcznej Irish Republican Army. Today, it is not a place where supporters of the Queen would be welcome. Police did not descend there in other vehicles, armored than the typical "Lego." Recently Moreover, even issued an official message that the "light" is not admitted to the patrol Ardoyne. Apparently the Republican radicals come into the possession of heavy weapons, but the sooner the ball toward the car could go stones. And that simply would rather the car did not pass.
stones - and the balls too - at the police already in hot weekend in July 12, moreover, it flew. It began with a peaceful protest march against the people Oranżystów. Orangemen say they do not pass through the quarter just past, before a row of shops in their view, no longer belongs to the district. After mediation between two or three years did not play his songs, just marching in silence. Commission, dealing with parades also instructed to paradujący Crumlin Road Protestants carried the UVF and UDA flags. With this sometimes varies. Anyway, the Irish living in the Ardoyne do not want to triumphal processions passed in the immediate vicinity. This year we decided on a "sitting protest". Dozens of people sat on the ground, blocking the street. The police concluded that the protest is illegal and began to draw protesters from the cordon. Well, the began. The settlement came immediately "reinforcements" in the form of masked teenagers who have a great backroom zadymę with the police.
was scary, because I flew from the roofs of shops stones, injuring a police officer very seriously. Also died from the crowd shots. In the following days there was something that the pastor of the local parish church. Cross, Fr Gary Donegan described as' EuroDisney for the rioters. " For young rozrabiacy Ardoyne came not only from Belfast but even with the Lurgan just to "summer have" beat the police. Boys in balaclavas attacked the police ranks, and the popularisation of how to output to the clubs the girls were doing pictures for "cells". It might even be funny if it is that ordinary people lived in the Ardoyne district of his hell, dozens of police officers were injured, and the entire brouhaha cost tens of thousands of pounds of fat that could be issued in any other useful way.
jumps out from behind the corner of a small group of masked teenagers. The police party flies firecracker, then one of the attackers, hiding an improvised shield a piece of plastic roof trying to throw a stone in, dressed in combat uniforms of officers. Fillers gets with water cannons, swaying on his feet, and after a while tears still a rubber bullet. A rubber ball becomes a struggle, however, the trophy of the "executioner". "You want to take a picture? Give five leg "- hooded boys laugh. Then he adds seriously, not to photograph their faces. The hoods pose no problems, slight concern for some adults. "This is not some police plug" - is purring.
Harc sudden stops with police entry "from the flank," a dozen cars. "Hoods" diverge in the alleys, the police are not even there ventures, especially since the houses there are people who are not very happy with the visit of the uniformed. The district begins to hum, police seizes one of the masons and withdrew to their positions. "Leave him alone, sk sons .." - you can hear the screams. Whistling a few stones, but it is evident that this night will be longer still. Police returned to the roundabout, Ardoyne slowly into silence ...
