Eleven people have appeared before a Special Magistrates Court in Limavady charged in connection with rioting overnight in Derry. The 10 men and a juvenile were remanded in custody. Earlier, the Sinn Féin negotiator, Martin McGuinness, condemned the violence but criticised the North's Parades Commission for allowing the disputed Apprentice Boys marches to go ahead. Mr McGuinness added that there was a growing belief within the Nationalist community that the Parades Commission was being encouraged by the British government to appease the Unionist leadership as negotiations on Northern Ireland peace reached a critical stage.
The violence continued for much of the night in Derry city in the aftermath of yesterday's parade. The trouble, which had eased off during the evening, flared up again in the city centre early this morning. Cars were hijacked, and there was widespread arson and looting before the RUC cleared the area. The RUC said that 200 petrol bombs were thrown and 100 more recovered from the outskirts of the Bogside. 20 vehicles were set alight and eight RUC officers were injured and firefighters were pelted with missiles. Yesterday afternoon in Waterloo Place 130 petrol bombs were thrown during disturbances which police say were orchestrated by Republican paramilitary groups.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews has said that the Government would be seeking a report on the circumstances surrounding yesterday's violence on the Lower Ormeau Road which preceded the Apprentice Boys’ feeder parade in the area. The RUC said that 19 police officers and a number of protesters were injured when security forces moved in to stop the demonstrators blocking the road. At least two people were taken to hospital after some of the crowd resisted the RUC's efforts to remove them. The police were enforcing a ruling by the Parades Commission allowing the Apprentice Boys to hold a feeder march along the road. The march itself later passed off without any major incident.
