Northern Ireland Protests Disperse Peacefully After 16 Arrests in 2 Nights of Social Media-Fueled Unrest
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 11
Northern Ireland Protests Disperse Peacefully After 16 Arrests in 2 Nights of Social Media-Fueled Unrest
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 11
Summary
About 170 people in Whiteabbey and 100 on east Belfast's Newtownards Road protested Thursday, but both gatherings dispersed without incident after two nights of disorder.
Extra PSNI officers — including mutual aid from other UK forces — were deployed across Northern Ireland, with police warning water cannon, public-order dogs and large numbers of officers would be used if needed.
Ryan Henderson, the PSNI assistant chief constable, said police have no evidence loyalist paramilitaries coordinated the unrest and instead blamed intense social media activity, including posts from outside Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Wednesday night's violence in places including Glengormley and Portadown left 12 officers injured and 16 people arrested, after unrest that began when footage of a Monday knife attack in north Belfast spread online.