A PHOTOGRAPHER was shot and two other men injured during a second night of sectarian violence which broke out in East Belfast last night.
Approximately 700 people took part in the violence during which petrol bombs, fireworks and missiles were thrown by rioters in the loyalist Lower Newtownards Road of east Belfast in what the PSNI described as “serious disorder”.
Three shots were fired in the area and a man, which local reports said was a press photographer, was shot in the leg during the violence and brought to hospital. The extent of the man’s injuries were however unknown last night.
The PSNI were last night advising members of the media to stay out of the area for their own safety.
There were also reports of two men who had suffered burn injuries as a result of the violence.
Police fired a number of baton rounds into the crowd and deployed water cannons. A PSNI spokeswoman said they were continuing contacts with local community leaders in an attempt to end the violence.
The violent scenes marked the second night of disorder in the Catholic enclave of Short Strand, which Chief Supt Alan McCrum said was orchestrated by the the loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF which had previously declared a ceasefire.
He said that Monday night’s violence, which involved a crowd of approximately 500 rioters, had begun when loyalists from the surrounding areas moved in on the Short Strand area. Two men were shot and injured during Monday nights riots when a total of 11 shots were fired.
Speaking after Monday night’s riots Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said that, at a time when many are working to build a better and brighter future “it is disappointing and deeply concerning to see this level of violence return to our streets”.
“This type of behaviour damages the local economy and unfairly mars the reputation of the community,” he added.
There were indications early on last night that the PSNI were better prepared to deal with the violence than on Monday night.
Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey, an Assembly member who sits on the Policing Board, said said the PSNI could have responded better to the trouble when it erupted on Monday.
“Let us act now to make sure UVF actions are not allowed to set the agenda for the summer months in the city of Belfast,” he said.