A double-decker bus was completely engulfed in flames after being bombed by riots near Northern Ireland’s “wall of peace” – on the fourth night of violence that has injured at least 55 police officers, according to authorities.
A wild video shared by The Sun shows the red bus slowly crawling down a Belfast street on Wednesday afternoon as a crowd of young men dressed in black threw petrol bombs at it.
It was soon completely engulfed in flames, with huge plumes of black smoke rising into the air, later leaving charred remains on the ground.
“It simply came to our notice then. It is about vandalism and attempted murder, “the prime minister said Arlene Foster tweeted along with images of the bus attack, calling it a “shame for Northern Ireland”.
Violence is blamed for increased frustration over the new post-Brexit trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The gates lit on a “wall of peace” that separated pro-Irish nationalist communities from pro-UK unionists since the “Problems” began more than 50 years ago – as crowds threw petrol bombs at them. .
The images show groups standing around fires on the wall in front of a sign that says, “There was never a good war or a bad peace.”
Several hundred people gathered on either side of a gate in the wall, “committing serious crimes, attacking the police and attacking each other,” said the assistant chief of the Northern Ireland police service. , Jonathan Roberts.
At least seven officers were injured in Wednesday’s violence, bringing the total to 55 injured for at least four nights this week, Roberts said.
“These are scenes we haven’t seen in Northern Ireland in a long time, these are scenes that many people thought had been destined for history,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told the national broadcaster RTE.
“This has to stop before someone dies or is seriously injured,” he said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said he was “concerned about the scenes of violence.”
“The way to resolve differences is through dialogue, not violence or crime,” he tweeted.
Brexit upset the political balance in Northern Ireland, where some identify as British and want to remain part of the UK, while others see themselves as Irish and seek unity with the Republic. of Ireland, a member of the EU. The two sides blame each other for the current violence.
There is also anger that Sinn Fein politicians who attended the funeral of a former commander of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) last year were not prosecuted for breaching coronavirus rules at mass rallies.
Authorities have accused illegal paramilitary groups of inciting youths to cause chaos.
“We saw young people involved in serious disorders and committing serious crimes, and they supported and encouraged them, and the actions were orchestrated by adults at certain times,” said Roberts, the senior police officer.
With mail cables