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Police in west Belfast have deployed water cannon against rioters, as tensions continue in the city.
Youths have been throwing fireworks and other objects at PSNI officers in the Springfield Road area.
However, attempts by protesters to barricade one street were disrupted by other locals who took away burning pallets.
The recent disorder in Belfast has been described as the worst unrest in recent years. Youths fire fireworks at the PSNI on the Springfield road, during further unrest in Belfast. Picture date: Thursday April 8, 2021. Picture by: Liam McBurney/PA Wire/PA Images
Responding to the latest scenes, Justice Minister Naomi Long tweeted: More attacks on police, this time from nationalist youths.
Police use water cannon as nationalist and loyalist youths face off at Belfast flashpoints Rising sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland prompt concern from White House
about 3 hours ago
Despite calls for calm from the Irish and British governments, the White House and the Northern Ireland Executive there was further unrest and violence in Belfast on Thursday night. Video: Enda O Dowd
Nationalist youths attack police officers in the Springfield Road area of Belfast on Thursday. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP via Getty
There was further unrest and violence in Belfast on Thursday night despite calls for calm from the Irish and British governments, the White House and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Police blast rioters with water cannon as violence flares again in Northern Ireland John Dunne
Rioters have been blasted with a water cannon by police as unrest stirred on the streets of Northern Ireland once more.
After shocking scenes provoked calls for calm this week, violence again flared up on the streets of west Belfast amid rising tensions in the area.
Stones and fireworks were thrown at police by gangs of youths gathered on the nationalist Springfield Road, close to where Wednesday night’s riots took place.
The latest violence came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish Premier Micheal Martin and US President Joe Biden called for a calming of tensions.
Friday, 09 Apr 2021 07:28 AM MYT
A boy stands and looks on as flames and smoke rises behind him in Northern Ireland on April 3, 2021. AFP pic
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BELFAST, April 9 Northern Ireland police faced a barrage of petrol bombs and rocks yesterday, an AFP journalist said, as violence once again flared in Belfast despite pleas for calm.
Riot police on the republican side of the divided city were pelted with projectiles as they tried to prevent a crowd moving towards pro-UK unionists.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Irish counterpart Micheal Martin had earlier called for “calm” following days of violence that included a petrol-bomb attack on a moving bus.
WHAT’S THE STORY? AFTER days of violence, Northern Ireland’s Executive yesterday issued a strong appeal for an end to trouble on the streets after it was revealed that 55 police officers have been injured in a week of rioting. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said rioting in west Belfast on Wednesday night was on a scale not seen for years. Seven police officers were injured that night after serious trouble broke out on the Lanark Way interface between the loyalist and nationalist communities in Belfast. After a night in which petrol bombs were thrown and a bus was set on fire, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said members of the Executive are “gravely concerned” about the violence and called for calm. Supported by members from all parties, she said: “Attacks on police officers, public services and communities are deplorable and they must stop. Destruction, violence and the threat of violence are completely unacceptable and unjustifiable, no ma