BELFAST (AP) – Gangs of youths have thrown stones and fireworks at Belfast police who bounced back with water cannons as violence flared up again in the streets of Northern Ireland.
Unrest erupted over the past week amid tensions over trade rules following Brexit and the worsening of relations between the parties in the Belfast government that share power.
The latest violence on Thursday night took place despite appeals by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and US President Joe Biden for calming tensions.
Police who keep unruly shields, with missiles thrown before officers were charged at the protesters with dogs. Police also used water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Earlier in the day, the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously adopted a motion ending the disorder, and the region’s power – sharing government condemned the violence.
“Although our political views on many issues differ widely, we are all united in our support for law and order and jointly state our support for policing and the police officers who harm themselves to protect others,” leaders said. of the five-party government said in a joint statement.
“We and our departments will continue to work together to maximize the support we can give to communities and the (Police Service of Northern Ireland) to prevent further violence and unrest.”
Northern Ireland has seen sporadic outbreaks of street violence since the 1998 Good Friday peace deal ended ‘the problems’ – decades of Catholic Protestant bloodshed over the status of the region in which more than 3,000 people have died.
‘The separation of Britain from the EU has highlighted the disputed status of Northern Ireland, where some people identify themselves as British and want to remain part of the United Kingdom, while others consider themselves Irish and seek unity with the neighboring Republic of Ireland,’ a member of the EU.