Police attacked as Northern Irish violence spreads
Rioters have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown, a Reuters witness says, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province.
Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town.
The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported.
One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50km from the capital Belfast.
A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance.
Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire.
Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported.
Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away.
"Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC.
Rioters have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown, a Reuters witness says, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province.
Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town.
The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported.
One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50km from the capital Belfast.
A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance.
Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire.
Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported.
Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away.
"Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC.
Rioters have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown, a Reuters witness says, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province.
Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town.
The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported.
One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50km from the capital Belfast.
A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance.
Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire.
Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported.
Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away.
"Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC.
Rioters have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown, a Reuters witness says, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province.
Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town.
The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported.
One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50km from the capital Belfast.
A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance.
Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire.
Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported.
Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away.
"Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
15 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
US acted alone, Albanese declares while abandoning neutral stance on attack
The US acted alone to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, Anthony Albanese has declared, as he refused to say whether Australia received advance notice but departed from the government's neutral position to back US President Donald Trump's strikes. The shift was confirmed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday, a day after an unnamed government spokesperson released a statement that called for peace and remained neutral on the strike. Wong and Albanese declined to say how close Iran was to making a nuclear bomb or whether the joint US-Australia intelligence base at Pine Gap in the Northern Territory was used to garner intelligence for it at a press conference at which they were peppered with questions. 'The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and we support action to prevent that – that is what this is,' Albanese said. 'The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran's nuclear program. We don't want escalation and a full-scale war. 'We are upfront, but we don't talk about intelligence, obviously, but we have made very clear this was unilateral action taken by the United States,' Albanese repeatedly answered when asked whether Australia had been briefed on the US' decision to strike Iran. Loading British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed he was briefed just before the strike. Albanese said: 'The UK has been one of the countries that's been at the negotiating table with Iran for many years on its nuclear weapons program'. The government's shift from neutrality to full support emphasises Australia's close alliance with the US, echoing its stance before the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. When Trump confirmed the strikes on the weekend, the Australian government gave a statement that reiterated Iran's missile and ballistic missile programs were dangerous, but was neutral on the US decision to attack them.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Air India: Pilot oversight breaches as airline warned for ‘serious violations' after crash that killed 241
Following a deadly crash that killed 241 people, Air India has been put on notice, forced to take multiple key officials from the airline off the roster, as a peak investigative body found it was in serious breach of regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced this week that it had discovered 'repeated and serious violations' regarding pilot and crew scheduling. A divisional vice-president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive have all been removed from any rostering responsibilities, and the airline's owner, the Tata Group, has been told to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the three immediately. In a recent statement, the DGCA was scathing about rostering expectations for pilots and crew that fell outside the safety guidelines. The report highlighted concern over 'repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements'. 'Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible,' the report published in The Independent said. On at least two separate occasions, pilots flying Air India passenger jets had exceeded the 10-hour on-duty flight time maximum, which was only discovered during a review after the airline transitioned to a new rostering and scheduling software system. 'In the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,' Air India said in a statement. The crash scene is still under investigation, and funerals are being arranged after Air India flight 171 to London's Gatwick airport slammed into a local training hospital in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on June 12. The ill-fated flight climbed into the sky after leaving Ahmedabad Airport, but was only airborne for around 32 seconds before the Boeing Dreamliner dropped and crashed, exploding into a massive fireball. A British passenger was the lone survivor after he climbed clear and walked away from the wreckage. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, was rescued from seat 11A and was found wandering a nearby street, before trying to reurn to the site in a frantic bid to find his brother who was sitting in a different part of the plane and had died . 'We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,' Air India announced soon after the crash. New agency Reuters have been reporting that Air India has also been under scrutiny for failing to perform regukar checks on safety equipment, including escape slides. The DGCA has also imposed bans on many Air India flights since the crash and the company has been ordered to perform immediate and stringent safety checks on all aircraft in its fleet.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
‘Serious violations': Air India put on notice over breaches
Following a deadly crash that killed 241 people, Air India has been put on notice, forced to take multiple key officials from the airline off the roster, as a peak investigative body found it was in serious breach of regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced this week that it had discovered 'repeated and serious violations' regarding pilot and crew scheduling. A divisional vice-president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive have all been removed from any rostering responsibilities, and the airline's owner, the Tata Group, has been told to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the three immediately. In a recent statement, the DGCA was scathing about rostering expectations for pilots and crew that fell outside the safety guidelines. The report highlighted concern over 'repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements'. 'Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible,' the report published in The Independent said. On at least two separate occasions, pilots flying Air India passenger jets had exceeded the 10-hour on-duty flight time maximum, which was only discovered during a review after the airline transitioned to a new rostering and scheduling software system. 'In the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,' Air India said in a statement. The crash scene is still under investigation, and funerals are being arranged after Air India flight 171 to London's Gatwick airport slammed into a local training hospital in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on June 12. The ill-fated flight climbed into the sky after leaving Ahmedabad Airport, but was only airborne for around 32 seconds before the Boeing Dreamliner dropped and crashed, exploding into a massive fireball. A British passenger was the lone survivor after he climbed clear and walked away from the wreckage. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, was rescued from seat 11A and was found wandering a nearby street, before trying to reurn to the site in a frantic bid to find his brother who was sitting in a different part of the plane and had died . 'We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,' Air India announced soon after the crash. New agency Reuters have been reporting that Air India has also been under scrutiny for failing to perform regukar checks on safety equipment, including escape slides. The DGCA has also imposed bans on many Air India flights since the crash and the company has been ordered to perform immediate and stringent safety checks on all aircraft in its fleet.
