Orange Order Says Riots Reveal 'Serious Question'

Weekend rioting in the Woodvale ares of north Belfast has been described as "attempted murder on officers".

Some 44 officers have been injured in three nights of trouble, which has been said to have cost "multiple millions" of pounds.

Violence broke out on Friday night following a stand-off in the Woodvale area. It followed a Parades Commission ruling that marchers and Orange lodges could not return along the same route.

The Orange Order however, have said that there are serious questions to be answered by the police over the weekends troubles.

In a statement the Order said: "There will be the blame game and point scoring by all for the events that unfolded, however the Orange institution will not be scapegoated for where the responsibility for this crisis truly lies - at the door of the Parades Commission.

"The violence, which we condemn, cannot be used as an excuse for not addressing the issues that have been raised by this ludicrous determination, a shared future, community relations and nationalists' intolerance. Issues that require a political response and solution."

It added: "The PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) have serious questions to answer, not least, with so many police officers available, why were they unable to stop clearly orchestrated attacks."

In Response the Parades Commission said that there was "no inevitability to violence after any determination".

"All civic leaders should use moderating rather than inflammatory language,"

(MH)