“self-perpetuating cycle of provocation and retaliation..”

After the Sinn Féin rally, to mark the closure of Mountpottinger Police Station in east Belfast, the riot by “sinister elements”. And after the riot, during which a number of baton rounds were fired, the blame game. From the BBC report

“Once again our country is caught in the spotlight of disorder and communal hatred,” a PSNI statement said. “Let’s be clear where the blame lies here, it lies with the criminal who picked up a stone, or a bottle, or any other missile and who attacked the police and other citizens going about their business. “As often happens, the police were caught between two opposing groups determined to attack each other.”

Which all sounds very familiar.. Adds Three arrests in second night of disturbances.

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