Police use water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland

Police have used water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland in a second night of anti-Immigration protests.Police used the cannon to disperse a crowd of about 300 people who burned a truck and threw bricks and other missiles near the Sandyknowes roundabout near Newtownabbey, eight miles north of Belfast.Unrest was also reported in Derry but overall there appeared to be fewer disturbances than on Tuesday, when mobs targeted ethnic minorities after a knife attack in north Belfast left a man severely injured on Monday night.Several advertised protests, including one at Belfast city hall, failed to materialise on Wednesday evening. A protest at Stormont, the seat of the devolved government, drew several dozen people and passed off peacefully.Many of the protesters at the Sandyknowes roundabout wore dark clothing and face coverings and reportedly planned to target a nearby hotel that was believed to host migrants.Police moved in with water cannon to scatter the crowd, some of whom pelted Police vans and riot shields with missiles. One young protester in a balaclava in the colours of the union flag repeatedly came forward to take aim at Police.“Attention, attention, disperse immediately or water cannons will be used, no further warnings will be given,” blared from the Police vehicles.Police water cannon in Sandyknowes, Belfast. Photograph: Hannah Al-Othman/The GuardianAn older woman, seated at a bus stop between the Police and protesters, pulled up her hood to shield herself from the water. “She said she’s lived through The Troubles, she not going to move,” another woman said.Dozens of protesters gathered at Newtownards Road in east Belfast, where on Tuesday night mobs burned vehicles and homes.Ministers in the Stormont executive issued a joint statement condemning Tuesday night’s disorder, saying it had spread fear and risked innocent lives. “No community benefits from these actions. The incident in north Belfast on Monday was deeply shocking. While we understand the strength of feeling about what happened, it is now subject to legal proceedings and justice must be allowed to run its course.”Hadi Alodid, 30, of Duncairn Avenue, Belfast, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. He was further charged with possessing a knife in a public place, Kinnaird Avenue, on the same day.The ministers’ statement said people were intent on wreaking destruction on the communities they claimed they were trying to protect.“They are weaponising the genuine hurt, concern and anger that people are feeling for their own misguided purposes,” it said.