By Anne Cadwallader
BELFAST — Republicans failed to keep the lid on Nationalist fury in North Belfast last week after loyalists blockaded Holy Cross school in Ardoyne on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
The violence began in disputed circumstances with three contradictory versions of how it was started. One Protestant woman said it began when she intervened after Nationalists took down a wreath in memory of her brother, Trevor Kells, a taxi driver shot dead just over a year ago by unknown republicans.
The police said it began after two women fought over who should give way on a sidewalk outside Holy Cross school. Nationalists said it started when three loyalists attacked a woman walking her 4-year-old daughter back from the school.
Whatever the spark, the tinderbox atmosphere in North Belfast ensured the flame, once lit, burned for two days. As many as 500 people on both sides were involved in two nights of rioting.
Three people were injured by shotgun pellets on the day the rioting began. They had wounds to their head, neck and chest. Others were injured when police vehicles drove into crowds trying to hijack vehicles to set on fire and use as barricades.
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Dozens of petrol bombs and acid bombs were thrown by both sides at the police, who sustained 48 injuries, none believed serious. They responded by firing plastic bullets, but, again, there were no serious injuries reported.
On Wednesday afternoon, teaching nuns in a house close to Mercy Primary school were attacked and the home of a Catholic family wrecked. Two children, barefoot and sobbing, stood on the Crumlin Road, calling for their parents as loyalists trashed their home.
On the Nationalist side, the rioting was carried out by what is sometimes described as the “hood element” in Ardoyne. These are young men normally involved in petty crime and car theft but who, at times of political tension, make and throw petrol bombs.
Republicans, such as Sinn Fein assembly member for North Belfast Gerry Kelly and former IRA leader in the Maze Prison Bik McFarlane, tried to quell the trouble but were unsuccessful. Many Ardoyne residents called on the IRA to defend the people against loyalist incursions.
This fits in with what republicans believe is the UDA strategy in North Belfast: to provoke the IRA into retaliation in order to damage the peace process and the Good Friday agreement.
During the rioting, about 20 vehicles were burned and used as barricades, while a number of Catholic homes in the Whitewell area of North Belfast were also attacked. Several journalists were among the injured.
The days of mayhem began with attacks on parents and a blockade of children attending the Holy Cross school in Ardoyne on Wednesday. The school closed Thursday but reopened Friday despite fear of new loyalist attacks.
Surrounded by heavily armed British soldiers and crowds of media, the terrified children made it safely home. But the headmistress of Holy Cross has said she does not think her staff and pupils could endure further intimidation outside the school.
Anne Tanney said the 3-month loyalist blockade of the school has taken a toll on students and teachers. With huge international media interest, however, it appears unlikely that loyalists will resume their protest for the long term.
On Friday, an official police statement said: “Forty-eight police officers were injured; four civilians received gunshot injuries in an incident at Hesketh Park, 136 petrol bombs were thrown and a police vehicle was . . . destroyed when hit by a petrol bomb.”
“Six vehicles were hijacked and set alight. Two buses were also hijacked, but were recovered by police intact. Police fired eight plastic baton rounds and there were three arrests.”
Speaking about the disturbances, an assistant chief constable, Alan McQuillan, said that although the initial outbreak of violence had been spontaneous, as the situation progressed there were clear indications of the rioting being orchestrated.