“the trouble is ongoing and motorists should avoid the area..”

According to the BBC report, a small number of petrol bombs and stones were thrown at police in the Belfast last night when “what the PSNI has called “sporadic” disturbances broke out in Cromac Street, the Markets, Lower Ormeau, Lower Newtownards Road and Short Strand areas” – no reports of injuries or arrests. In County Armagh today, where the ‘gangs’ seem somewhat more lethally equipped, “at least one blast bomb, as well as bottles, stones and petrol bombs have been thrown at police investigating a security alert [in the Tullygally and Drumbeg areas of Craigavon]”. Motorists are being asked to avoid the area. Update BBC report a number of shots fired at a police patrol in Craigavon at around 8pm. And they quote Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd.

Sinn Fein assembly member John O’Dowd said: “I would appeal to everyone involved in the trouble to stop it now before someone is either injured or killed. “This is not a game, this is not fun, what we’ve seen tonight is actually attempted murder. Please stop it now before someone is killed.”

Pete Baker