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Petrol bombs thrown at police in Derry

Derry - Petrol bombs hurled at police - (Pic: @MarcMallett_UTV)
Derry - Petrol bombs hurled at police - (Pic: @MarcMallett_UTV)

Petrol bombs have been thrown at police in Derry, following the annual Apprentice Boys celebrations to commemorate the lifting of the siege of Derry in 1689.

Seven people were arrested and charged with rioting and petrol bombing after the annual Apprentice Boys parade and a protest by republicans nearby.

A PSNI spokeswoman said a woman and her daughter were dragged from their car during one hijacking as disorder continued in the city centre. Four men have been arrested so far.

'A car was set alight in Fahan Street around 5.15pm and a van hijacked on the Lecky Road,' the spokeswoman said.

Several petrol bombs were thrown at the Memorial Hall and at police Land Rovers.

'A car was hijacked in the Creggan Street area around 6pm. A woman and her daughter were pulled from the vehicle.'

The situation was ongoing in certain central streets, she added.

More than 10,000 people attended the march.

Chief Superintendent Steve Martin said that the main parade, involving thousands of people, had passed off peacefully but he expressed concern that a Royal Mail van had been hijacked and burned and that efforts had been made to commandeer a number of other vehicles.

This afternoon, over 10,000 bandsmen and members of Apprentice Boys groups paraded through the main streets of the city and back across the Foyle bridge.

Community groups have been involved in dialogue in advance of today's event and among those observing the parade were catholic priest Fr Michael Canny and protestant minister Revd Gordon Latimore.

Hundreds of police officers were on duty in the city from early morning and dissident republicans have staged two protests, one in the Bogside and a second in Shipquay Street, closer to the parade.