North Belfast resembles Beirut, say angry women

IN north Belfast, scene of the worst of the rioting on Thursday night, most of the people on the devastated streets were women…

IN north Belfast, scene of the worst of the rioting on Thursday night, most of the people on the devastated streets were women, and they were very angry.

"Don't even start us, love, said one middle aged woman. "It was like a war zone up here last night. It's one law for us and one law for them."

The women gathered outside their neat houses, where trees and bushes had been singed by burning cars. At least nine cars and vans lay burnt out along a short stretch of the Oldpark Road sealed off by RUC Land Rovers and armoured cars.

From time to time, one of the Land Rovers drove up or down the road at speed, to sporadic stoning from children, most of them not even in their teens.

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Marie Donnelly echoed the words of a Protestant man on Castlereagh Road the previous day. "It was like Beirut here last night cars burning and petrol bombs. There were more plastic bullets fired in a few hours here last night than in five days in Drumcree. They didn't even do anything when they were cutting the wire.

Her neighbour, Lily, said. "Thousands and thousands of people got into Drumcree. But when people from the Falls Road went to support people on the Ormeau Road they were not let in."

Ms Donnelly added. "People around here were never bitter. But they're bitter now.

"There's Protestants on this street. There's Mr Cooper, the chemist, and no one ever said anything to him, and his son runs the sweetie shop. And there's a Protestant family living around the corner in Glenview Street and they were never touched."

"I don't blame the young people because their blood is high. If I was 20 years younger I'd join the Provies. It'd make you join them, it would," said Lily.

Shots were fired at the RUC in north Belfast early yesterday morning, and the women expected more shooting last night. "The Catholic people have come to the end of their tether," said Lily.

Underlying their anger was concern for their children and grandchildren. "I've four grandchildren," said Lily. "What will they grow up with? The kids up here are living on their nerves. They don't talk to you. They shout."

Declan Liggett (6) clutched a souvenir he had found there, a yellow plastic bullet about five inches long. Asked what had happened he said. "There was all big noises and all peelers everywhere and all the peelers came out of their vans and started getting the bombs. All everything was all burnt."

Was he scared? "Yes." And would he like to go out again? "Yes."