Northern Ireland riots
Apr 9th 2021
There has been unrest in Northern Ireland for the past week, and according to the police rioting was worst seen in Northern Ireland in years.
There are of course multiple causes for the unrest, but Brexit is definitely not helping, and it looks like peace in Northern Ireland is in danger of becoming collateral damage.
The Brexit referendum was in June 2016, nearly five years ago. How on earth, was this too short a time to deal with the border with Ireland?
Not solving the issue during the negotiations, and not being truthful about the options, and in addition, making false promises, and then breaking them, has brought us here; petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks thrown at police, bins and vehicles set on fire, and police using a water cannon to try to disperse the crowds.
The promises of smooth trade and no border in the Irish Sea have gone up in smoke and the reality of Brexit is starting to have serious consequences, and pardon the pun, other things are going up in smoke as well.
So, where do we go from here?
PS Apr 10th The Guardian
[T]he LCC [Loyalist Communities Council] said there had been a “spectacular collective failure” to understand their anger over Brexit and other issues, and the border protocol must be renegotiated. Critics of the departure deal’s Northern Ireland protocol say a border is in effect in the Irish Sea, leaving unionists feeling betrayed.
“We have repeatedly urged HM Government, political leaders and Institutions to take seriously our warnings of the dangerous consequences of imposing this hard border on us and the need for earnest dialogue to resolve matters. We reiterate that message now,” the LCC said.
NI police say paramilitaries not behind recent violence
More opinions and analysis on this below.
This is from the Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland The consequences of Boris Johnson’s careless Brexit are playing out in Belfast
From the BBC
Analysis: What is Brexit doing to Northern Ireland?
The Guardian yesterday Apr 8th ‘The fear is that this will get bigger’: six nights of rioting in Northern Ireland
The Guardian editorial Apr 6th The Guardian view on the riots in Northern Ireland: situation dangerous
And the timeline of the unrest from the BBC
Timeline: How Northern Ireland's violence unfolded
PS April 10th is the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement
