A Republican rally in Lurgan, Co Armagh was temporarily delayed yesterday as British security forces dealt with a suspect device planted in a car-park close to the town centre. The rally, organised by a group called Another Chance, agreed to reroute the march from Francis Street, avoiding the Edward Street area. It travelled through Shankill via William Street where a number of speakers addressed the 1,000 strong crowd.
This is the second time republicans have been permitted to march into the centre of Lurgan. A row of RUC Land Rovers and police, some dressed in riot gear, blocked the half-way point of the town and created a no-man's-land between the rally and a loyalist counter-demonstration.
The parade, which was due to begin around 2.30 p.m., was delayed as the RUC reacted to a suspect device planted at a car-park. The planned route was sealed off and the organisers of the rally agreed to re-route the parade.
Meanwhile in West Belfast early on Saturday morning, the RUC fired plastic bullets to hold back a rioting crowd of 100 which was trying to break into New Barnsley police station in Ballymurphy. The crowd hurled petrol bombs, tried to force open main gates and set fire to look-out posts at the police station during 2 1/2 hours of "sustained" rioting. The Springfield Road was blocked for some time.
A police spokesman said: "A small number of plastic baton rounds were fired by officers inside the station. There were no reports of any injuries."