Fresh unrest breaks out in West Belfast
Furniture was set on fire in the middle of the Shankill Road close to where a bus was set alight earlier this month
Last updated 19th Apr 2021
Unrest flared up again in West Belfast on Monday evening after several nights passed without incident.
Police attended the scene and monitored a crowd that gathered across Lanark Way and the Shankill Road close to the nearby peace line.
Furniture was set on fire in the middle of the Shankill Road close to where a bus was set alight earlier this month.
There were reports that officers came under sporadic attack.
However, calm had been restored to the scene by around 9pm, but some crowds remained in the area.
It comes after a break of around a week, following a succession of days where violence broke out following a number of loyalist protests across NI.
The worst of the trouble came on both sides of the peace wall gates at Lanark Way on Wednesday April 7 and Thursday April 8 where police used plastic bullets and water cannon against the crowds.
Protests were temporarily paused following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, peaceful loyalist protests took in other locations, including in Newtownards, Co Down.
On Sunday evening banners were erected in several loyalist areas across the country.
The banners accuse the UK and Irish government, the European Commission and the US administration of not listening to loyalist concerns and warn that politicians face a choice between the Good Friday peace accord of 1998 and the Protocol.
Earlier today at a small demonstration outside Irish government offices in Belfast Leader of the Loyalist Communities Council, an umbrella group representing loyalist paramilitaries, David Campbell said all protests should be peaceful.
He said: “There are other individuals making similar peaceful symbolic protests today throughout Northern Ireland, in London and in Dublin itself and we hope that conveys a message to anyone who is seeking violent protest to stay at home - you're not assisting our cause'
Loyalist anger at the Protocol has been cited as one of the main factors behind the violence that erupted earlier this month.
Another was the decision not to prosecute 24 Sinn Fein members for Covid-19 breaches after they attended a mass republican funeral during the pandemic.
There are also more long-standing concerns held by some loyalists that they have missed out on the gains of the peace process in areas such as jobs, investment and housing.
Nationalists reject the contentions and insist their communities experience just as many problems with poverty.
The violence was unanimously condemned across the Stormont Assembly after it was recalled from Easter recess for a special meeting on April 8.
It was also condemned by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Irish premier Micheal Martin, as well as church leaders.
Labour shadow secretary of state Louise Haigh has called for fresh talks to be called to resolve the issues.
Monday 19th April
PSNI vehicles and loyalist protesters during further unrest on Lanark Way in Belfast. Picture date
A flammable canister explodes at a burning barricade set up by Loyalists on Lanark Way
A burning barricade
Loyalist protesters during further unrest
A woman with a pram runs past PSNI vehicles and loyalist protesters
PSNI vehicles during further unrest on Lanark Way
PSNI direct traffic away from burning barricade on Lanark Way
PSNI vehicles and loyalist protesters during further unrest on Lanark Way
Riot police form a line on Lanark Way close to the peace wall
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