10 hours ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Parents need to stand up before a child is killed': Residents speak out after second night of violence in Derry
A second night of riots took place at Nailors Row beside the city's historic walls in what the PSNI has branded 'blatant sectarian violence'.
Fourteen officers were injured as petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry, planks of wood and bricks were hurled at police lines.
It resulted in 11 people being arrested including eight male teenagers aged between 14 and 17 and three men aged, 29, 30 and 47.
Violence persisted from around 7.30pm to 1am on Tuesday night during which one rubber bullet was fired by the PSNI.
The road where it occurred runs adjacent to Alexander House, sheltered accommodation for older people, and close to the Bishop Street and Fountain interface.
Fountain resident, Donna Best, said tensions have been heightened for months.
Her sister lives close to the 'peace wall' and she said bricks, bottles and eggs have been thrown over.
Ms Best also made reference to a threatening TikTok post which has caused widespread consternation in the Fountain community.
With an Irish tricolour background and burning Union Jack, the post said: 'Need as many heads in the Fountain as possible Monday, half 4, getting them out once and for all.
'There will be no changes to this, it is going ahead no matter what, please everyone send this around and information will be put up on where everyone should meet up.'
The concerned resident said attacks are being 'pre-organised and arranged' and believes it could be 'fuelled by adults in the background'.
'I would say to parents,' Ms Best added, 'as someone who has been through this for years, where are they? If my child came in smelling of petrol… parents need to take responsibility, before some child is killed.
'They could risk getting a criminal record and destroying their futures. Parents need to stand up.'
Ms Best was critical of all politicians, including unionist parties, who she said were in the area for interviews on Wednesday but 'didn't take the time to check on residents or assure them'.
In Alexander House where there is sheltered accommodation for tenants over 60 years of age, Joe Grant spoke to the Belfast Telegraph saying that he believed the PSNI response was 'heavy handed' as Land Rovers lined the street.
'All I could hear was the police dogs and sirens blaring all night,' he recalled. 'They brought them before after one of the marches and they were barking non-stop.'
Mr Grant said there are young people in both communities who goad one another.
A resident whose flat faces on to Nailors Row, where trouble raged the night before, estimated that there must have been around 80 police officers.
Given his proximity to the disorder he was able to witness events as they unfolded.
'It was mad,' he said, while describing how bricks and fireworks aimed at police officers almost hit his own window.
Wishing to remain anonymous, he expressed fears that his window could be smashed.
Recalling the scenes, the resident said PSNI officers who had hold of aggressive dogs would extend the leash to disperse the young people.
He also witnessed injured officers who'd been struck with masonry or petrol bombs being helped from the scene by their colleagues and 'saw about six of them having to be pulled into the jeeps'.
As a tenant of four years he said that trouble generally flares during the loyalist marching season.
'I don't want to see this at all again tonight,' he said, 'especially not for some of the older people who live here. They don't need that.'
On the other side of an interface fence, a resident who has lived in the Fountain estate since 1985 also shared frustrations.
His wife has a disability and the couple are 'worried' about the situation 'getting out of hand'.
The sinister TikTok post was at the forefront of his mind as he demanded police and the media call it what it is.
'Sectarianism,' he said.
'This is the only Protestant enclave, people can't say this is not a sectarian attack. This was a threat to burn people out.'
He pointed to baton rounds and water canon being deployed against racist rioters in Ballymena and said the same tactics should be used against youths in Derry.
'You can't have baton rounds for one crowd and not for another. Petrol bombs are extremely dangerous. It's two-tier policing,' he continued.
The man was also critical of politicians and community representatives in the Bogside and Brandywell, suggesting Sinn Féin has 'lost control of it'.
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy has condemned the incidents and appealed for calm.
The sentiments of the Fountain resident were shared by individuals from the nationalist community who said that most community workers in the area are members of Sinn Féin which can reduce the impact they have.
There are also concerns that dissident elements are orchestrating some of the violence.
The Irish Republican Socialist Party has called on young people attacking the Fountain estate to 'desist immediately' condemning the those behind the violence as 'wrong and sectarian and in essence are anti-Republican'.
In a statement the group sought to distance bonfire builders from the disorder and pointed to young people in both communities carrying out attacks. It also accused the PSNI of 'provocative behaviour towards the young people'.
One resident said he hoped the move would make a difference as he criticised politicians from all parties saying he only sees them at election time.
But he too warned that if the disorder continues, it could lead to 'someone being injured or killed'.
