Loyalist and Republican community leaders have called for calm to be restored to East Belfast. They issued a joint statement, which followed last night's violence when police came under attack and rival gangs clashed in various parts of the city. Earlier, the RUC Chief Constable called on community leaders to exercise their influence to end the riots.
Sir Ronnie Flanagan warned that if the violence continued lives would be lost. Sir Ronnie said that he did not believe the violence was orchestrated, but he said that that did not make it any less dangerous.
The RUC said that Loyalists fired blast bombs and petrol bombs into the Short Strand area, a Catholic district in the east of the city. Gunfire was also heard and it is reported that this may have sparked the Loyalist onslaught. David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party claimed that the IRA directed gunfire at Protestant community workers.
However, a Short Strand Sinn Féin councillor was shocked at this assessment of events. Councillor Joe O'Donnell said that the shots were fired from the Newtownards Road. Councillor O'Donnell called for dialogue to try to pull back from the brink. Mr O'Donnell added that the hard work put into peace in Northern Ireland had suffered a ten-year setback due to recent attacks.
Violence had earlier flared in Duncairn Gardens in the North of the city. Some RUC officers were hurt during clashes between Nationalists and Loyalists. Rival factions hurled petrol bombs and acid bombs, as well as stones, bottles and bricks. One man was arrested following the rioting and he has been charged with disorderly behaviour. He is due before Belfast Magistrates' Court on 6 August.
