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NI Union Flag riots: 29 police officers hurt in E Belfast

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Tequila
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12 Jan 2013, 9:40 pm

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Union flag protests: Twenty-nine officers hurt in Belfast

Twenty-nine police officers have been injured in rioting in Belfast following a loyalist protest over the union flag.

Officers fired six baton rounds and used water cannon during the 40th day of street protests.

The latest unrest began around 14:30 GMT, when loyalists and nationalists clashed at a sectarian interface at Short Strand, east of the city.

A despicable assault on the forces of law and order by criminal scum.

Protest about the decision if you like but do it peacefully. We mustn't allow the democratic process to be overruled by a bunch of violent fanatics. It's as simple as that.

Personally, I have no problem with the decision Belfast City Council took over the flag as it brings flag protocol at City Hall in line with the rest of the UK.



Fnord
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12 Jan 2013, 9:52 pm

A European country that experiences violence over petty issues?! !

Who do they think they are anyway ... Americans?


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Tequila
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12 Jan 2013, 9:53 pm

Fnord wrote:
A European country that experiences violence over petty issues?! !


It's a bit more than that. The loss of the Union Flag from City Hall is symbolic. It means that unionists simply don't have the electoral strength to be able to keep that flag up there any more.



Fnord
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12 Jan 2013, 10:12 pm

Tequila wrote:
Fnord wrote:
A European country that experiences violence over petty issues?! !
It's a bit more than that. The loss of the Union Flag from City Hall is symbolic. It means that unionists simply don't have the electoral strength to be able to keep that flag up there any more.

Sorta like when the GOP on this side of the pond didn't have the electoral strength to oust a non-white liberal Democrat from the White House, I guess.

When will people learn that in any kind of democratically-decided issue, there are going to be some people who simply will not get what they want?

Bloody layabouts...


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Tequila
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12 Jan 2013, 10:16 pm

Fnord wrote:
Sorta like when the GOP on this side of the pond didn't have the electoral strength to oust a non-white liberal Democrat from the White House, I guess.


Not really. It's mainly down to the fears of the loyalists that they are permanently losing their electoral and sectarian advantage in Belfast, and increasingly in Northern Ireland. The number of Catholics (but not Nationalists) in Northern Ireland is nearing 50%.



Utnapishtim
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12 Jan 2013, 10:34 pm

Tequila wrote:
Personally, I have no problem with the decision Belfast City Council took over the flag as it brings flag protocol at City Hall in line with the rest of the UK.


The same here mate, a fair decision was made from the council over the flag to keep both sides happy.
Really now why on earth unionists (or some of them) still protesting over it?

Yer ok they got every right to protest as long as they do it peacefully. These riots now are taking the piss, they need to knock that s**t off ASPA!!

Is the issue of the flag just really an excuse for all of this? So whats the real reason then that all of this started in the first place?



Fnord
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12 Jan 2013, 10:36 pm

Tequila wrote:
Fnord wrote:
Sorta like when the GOP on this side of the pond didn't have the electoral strength to oust a non-white liberal Democrat from the White House, I guess.
Not really. It's mainly down to the fears of the loyalists that they are permanently losing their electoral and sectarian advantage in Belfast, and increasingly in Northern Ireland. The number of Catholics (but not Nationalists) in Northern Ireland is nearing 50%.

Hmm... another similarity ... non-whites in America are nearing 50% of the total population (if they haven't already), thus inspiring members of the (former) white majority to fear that they are losing their electoral and cultural advantages.

Times, they are a'changing, and the criminals who fight against change had better get with the times!


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