Marching as to war

[The_Dude 1,142]

Marching as to war

WHEN Northern Ireland came into being in the 1920s its first prime minister, James Craig, reputedly said that it was “born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”. That sombre prophecy seemed confirmed this week when the high point of the loyalist marching season, July 12th, once again brought sustained violence to Belfast. In nightly clashes many sparks flew upward, together with petrol bombs, bricks, golf balls and other missiles, as police clashed with rioters, especially in the republican Ardoyne district.

The rioters came off best. Although no serious civilian casualties were reported, more than 80 police officers were injured. Three were hit by shotgun pellets, and a female officer was badly hurt when a concrete block struck her on the head.

The sight of youths attacking officers and vehicles, in a manner described by the Belfast nationalist Irish News as “vicious” and “animalistic”, was televisually irresistible. Scenes of burning vehicles were enough to give casual viewers the impression that all of Belfast was in flames, and not just a small, tough part of it. As a result, efforts to build up tourism in Northern Ireland took another summertime hit: who would want to visit the land of the petrol bomb, the riot shield and the blazing car?

Ardoyne is one of Northern Ireland’s problem districts, set in north Belfast where one-fifth of all victims died during the “Troubles”. In the worst of times, the 1970s, a three-way war was waged on its streets involving the army, the IRA and loyalists. Residents typically know dozens of men who were killed and scores who were imprisoned for IRA offences. A plaque on a local wall bears the names of more than 120 people who died in the district, ranging from IRA members to old ladies mowed down by stray bullets during gun battles.

Those days have gone but many problems remain, including poverty, unemployment and alienation of various sorts. Though the peace process has virtually eliminated the killings, it has brought little in the way of economic improvement. Some years ago a wave of youthful suicides was a telling sign of the level of family and social breakdown.

Most of this week’s disturbances involved teenagers, children as young as nine or ten eagerly joining in what is known as “recreational rioting”. For some, the annual July aggro is the most exciting event in their alienated young lives: they text their pals to come and join them.

Hundreds of young people need no encouragement to take on the police, but an extra edge was provided this year by dissident republican groups who have been actively involved in bombings and shootings. On July 10th, in rural south Armagh, they detonated a large culvert bomb of the type that soldiers in Afghanistan know all too well. In doing so they served notice that they have regained the ability to devastate armoured military vehicles.

In Armagh the dissidents recruited veteran IRA bomb-makers to make trouble; in Belfast they relied on youngsters. Scores made their way to Ardoyne, swelling the rioting ranks. The dissident groups, who are small but deadly, hope some of the teenagers will take the traditional route of graduating from recreational rioting to fully-fledged terrorism.

In addition to making Belfast look like a war zone, at least on television, the dissidents drove a wedge between politicians and police. A senior policeman, perhaps emotional about the injuries to his officers, called on the loyalist first minister, Peter Robinson, and his Sinn Fein deputy, Martin McGuinness, to provide “joined-up government” on the issue.

In fact the two have worked hard and, for the first time, have reached agreement on better regulation of the parades from next year. No one believes that they will resolve all the deep-rooted difficulties of Ardoyne, but the hope is that marching will no longer provide a ready-made excuse for inflicting injury and destruction.

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[Peikko 1,575]

Marching as to war

WHEN Northern Ireland came into being in the 1920s its first prime minister, James Craig, reputedly said that it was "born to trouble as the sparks fly upward". That sombre prophecy seemed confirmed this week when the high point of the loyalist marching season, July 12th, once again brought sustained violence to Belfast. In nightly clashes many sparks flew upward, together with petrol bombs, bricks, golf balls and other missiles, as police clashed with rioters, especially in the republican Ardoyne district.

The rioters came off best. Although no serious civilian casualties were reported, more than 80 police officers were injured. Three were hit by shotgun pellets, and a female officer was badly hurt when a concrete block struck her on the head.

The sight of youths attacking officers and vehicles, in a manner described by the Belfast nationalist Irish News as "vicious" and "animalistic", was televisually irresistible. Scenes of burning vehicles were enough to give casual viewers the impression that all of Belfast was in flames, and not just a small, tough part of it. As a result, efforts to build up tourism in Northern Ireland took another summertime hit: who would want to visit the land of the petrol bomb, the riot shield and the blazing car?

Ardoyne is one of Northern Ireland's problem districts, set in north Belfast where one-fifth of all victims died during the "Troubles". In the worst of times, the 1970s, a three-way war was waged on its streets involving the army, the IRA and loyalists. Residents typically know dozens of men who were killed and scores who were imprisoned for IRA offences. A plaque on a local wall bears the names of more than 120 people who died in the district, ranging from IRA members to old ladies mowed down by stray bullets during gun battles.

Those days have gone but many problems remain, including poverty, unemployment and alienation of various sorts. Though the peace process has virtually eliminated the killings, it has brought little in the way of economic improvement. Some years ago a wave of youthful suicides was a telling sign of the level of family and social breakdown.

Most of this week's disturbances involved teenagers, children as young as nine or ten eagerly joining in what is known as "recreational rioting". For some, the annual July aggro is the most exciting event in their alienated young lives: they text their pals to come and join them.

Hundreds of young people need no encouragement to take on the police, but an extra edge was provided this year by dissident republican groups who have been actively involved in bombings and shootings. On July 10th, in rural south Armagh, they detonated a large culvert bomb of the type that soldiers in Afghanistan know all too well. In doing so they served notice that they have regained the ability to devastate armoured military vehicles.

In Armagh the dissidents recruited veteran IRA bomb-makers to make trouble; in Belfast they relied on youngsters. Scores made their way to Ardoyne, swelling the rioting ranks. The dissident groups, who are small but deadly, hope some of the teenagers will take the traditional route of graduating from recreational rioting to fully-fledged terrorism.

In addition to making Belfast look like a war zone, at least on television, the dissidents drove a wedge between politicians and police. A senior policeman, perhaps emotional about the injuries to his officers, called on the loyalist first minister, Peter Robinson, and his Sinn Fein deputy, Martin McGuinness, to provide "joined-up government" on the issue.

In fact the two have worked hard and, for the first time, have reached agreement on better regulation of the parades from next year. No one believes that they will resolve all the deep-rooted difficulties of Ardoyne, but the hope is that marching will no longer provide a ready-made excuse for inflicting injury and destruction.

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High unemployment rates.

The people of Northern Ireland are an interesting bunch, extremely friendly but they have very deep rooted fears of 'the other side' - one of my best friends, who had no direct experience with violence always said that 'if push came to shove' she knew where her loyalties lay - it is hard to combat that sort of endemic bigotry when you are also poor and see no prospect of prosperity - oh hello, does anyone see any parallels?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Inappropriate comment and post quoting same have been removed. Personal attacks - even if trying to be disguised with humour - are not acceptable.

[alienlovechild 75]

The rioters came off best. Although no serious civilian casualties were reported, more than 80 police officers were injured. Three were hit by shotgun pellets, and a female officer was badly hurt when a concrete block struck her on the head.

The sight of youths attacking officers and vehicles, in a manner described by the Belfast nationalist Irish News as “vicious” and “animalistic”, was televisually irresistible. Scenes of burning vehicles were enough to give casual viewers the impression that all of Belfast was in flames, and not just a small, tough part of it. As a result, efforts to build up tourism in Northern Ireland took another summertime hit: who would want to visit the land of the petrol bomb, the riot shield and the blazing car?

Those days have gone but many problems remain, including poverty, unemployment and alienation of various sorts. Though the peace process has virtually eliminated the killings, it has brought little in the way of economic improvement. Some years ago a wave of youthful suicides was a telling sign of the level of family and social breakdown.

Was it worse than Oakland or the tougher parts most major American cities? Worse than a G20 conference? The cops in N. Ireland took a beating so how does that deter the rioters? No arrests?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Was it worse than Oakland or the tougher parts most major American cities? Worse than a G20 conference? The cops in N. Ireland took a beating so how does that deter the rioters? No arrests?

Yes, It was worse than those recent N.American riots. This is a deep seeded dispute that is not just a bunch of anarchists who want to cause a bit of mayhem, or pissed off community who have no outlet for their anger.