A third night of rioting was held on Sunday in the cities of Belfast and Derry / Londonderry, where police were attacked with petrol bombs and cars hijacked and set on fire.
The clashes involved children up to the age of 12, according to a statement from the Northern Ireland Police Service (PSNI).
On Saturday night, 30 petrol bombs were dropped on police in Newtownabbey, Belfast and three vehicles were hijacked and set on fire, according to police, in what they described as an “orchestrated attack”.
Riots followed the two cities on Friday after the decision not to prosecute leaders of the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party for allegedly breaking coronavirus restrictions by attending the funeral of a former IRA chief during the close of the year past. The decision is being reviewed.
Instead, it creates a de facto border for the Irish Sea, as goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain are subject to EU controls, an action that has infuriated pro-British unionists.
Police found the escalation of violence “unacceptable” and called on residents to help spread local tensions and prevent further incidents.
David Campbell, president of the Loyalist Communities Council, recently told CNN that “it’s very easy for things to get out of hand, so it’s crucial that there is a dialogue … but [if not] for Covid’s restrictions there would have already been demonstrations: I have no doubt that the ports would have been blocked. “
Speaking about Friday’s incident, Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey said in a statement: “Unfortunately, this evening we saw skirmishes between young people and the PSNI in the Sandy Row area after a protest organized by loyalists. against the protocol “.
“I call on the DUP and political unionism to show leadership, end their dangerous rhetoric and ensure there is an urgent escalation of tensions,” Maskey added.
CNN’s Kara Fox contributed to this report.