''This article covers rioting in July and August. For riots linked to the City Hall protests, see Belfast City Hall flag protests.'' The 2013 Belfast riots was a series of riots taking place in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingd ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. North ...

. They came months after the Belfast City Hall flag protests ignited rioting.

July riots

Rioting broke out following the 12 July Orange Order parade, when local

Orangemen Orangemen or Orangewomen can refer to: *Historically, supporters of William of Orange *Members of the modern Orange Order (also known as Orange Institution), a Protestant fraternal organisation *Members or supporters of the Armagh GAA Gaelic foot ...

were barred from returning via their traditional route via the main Crumlin Road passing the Catholic-populated

Ardoyne Ardoyne () is a working class and mainly Catholic and Irish republican district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during The Troubles. Foundation The village of Ardoyne was founded in ...

in north Belfast, which ignited protests from loyalists. Trouble also spread to south and east Belfast. The

Police Service of Northern Ireland The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ga, Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster-Scots: ') is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) after it was reform ...

(PSNI) fired about 20 plastic baton rounds at rioters and used two mobile water cannons. For several hours they dealt with loyalists and nationalists exchanging missiles across the police line, and at one point a group of loyalists used ceremonial swords to attack the police lines. Nigel Dodds, the unionist MP for Belfast North, was injured and hospitalised when struck in the head by a missile when he was trying to negotiate with police officers in Woodvale Avenue. 32 officers were hurt. The PSNI Chief Constable called 400 extra police officers from England, Scotland and Wales to deal with the situation - more than 600 from the British mainland were already supporting the PSNI beforehand. It was an unprecedented move - in the past, and during

the Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) never called in extra police but used the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

soldiers, who withdrew from Northern Ireland in 2007. By the end of August, 106 arrests were made and 77 were charged.

August riots

Violent clashes broke out on the evening of Friday 9 August when loyalists attempted to prevent a parade of 5,000

Irish republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

marking the anniversary of internment in 1971 through the city centre. The parade was a joint alliance of dissident groups which included the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the political wing of the New IRA. It was legally given permission but up to 1,000 loyalists blocked their route at around 6 pm and attacked riot police around Royal Avenue/North Street, and clashes between loyalists and nationalists took place. By an hour later, PSNI officers and armoured vehicles blocked the republican parade in North Queen Street in New Lodge. This would become a second stand-off from the one around Royal Avenue involving loyalists. The parade organisers decided to avoid Royal Avenue and take a route via Carrick Hill and Millfield, near the city centre, towards west Belfast. "Serious disorder" took place on these roads as riot police separated the two groups. The protesters were then pushed back towards the Shankill Road area. The PSNI fired 26 plastic baton rounds and deployed two water cannons. Michael Copeland, an

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule ...

(UUP) politician, claimed that he and his family members were assaulted by police in Royal Avenue. In total, 56 police officers and two civilians were injured. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers described the violence as "shameful". Within four days the PSNI arrested 90 people of which 66 were charged, and released photos of other wanted offenders.

References

{{Reflist 2013 in Northern Ireland 2013 riots Ethnic riots History of Belfast Protests in Northern Ireland Riots and civil disorder in Northern Ireland August 2013 events in the United Kingdom July 2013 events in the United Kingdom Orange Order 2010s political riots

July riots

August riots

See also

References