Nationalist rioters shoot 3 police officers and injure 27 during Protestant 11th Night 'mayhem' in Northern Ireland

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 11:34 EDT, 12 July 2010

Three police officers have been shot and 27 injured in a night of rioting during the traditional Protestant 11th Night celebrations in Belfast.

A female officer was among the gunshot victims after a masked man opened fire with a shotgun in Belfast.

The three officers were shot by the masked gunman in the North Queen Street area, north of Belfast city centre.

The officers were wounded by shotgun pellets when they were attacked by crowds of about 200 throwing petrol bombs, stones and bottles.

The 24 other officers were injured at two separate flashpoints in the city, including Broadway in west Belfast, where some 200 rioters attacked police with petrol bombs, stones and bottles.

None of the injuries is thought to be life-threatening but a male officer remains in hospital with an arm injury.

At least one car was hijacked and set alight during the rioting.

An armoured police vehicle parade Belfast. Three officers were shot and 27 injured in riots last night

The night of disorder came amid fears of trouble during today's July 12 Orange Order commemorations.

Police presence will be high at potential flashpoint areas as thousands of Orangemen parade to mark the annual Protestant festival.

Police used water cannon and baton rounds after the trouble began at around 11.45pm.

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister David Ford called for an end to the violence on the streets.
'Those responsible are to be condemned,' he said. 'It is clear that there is a small minority of people who want to create havoc and do whatever they can to raise tensions and heighten fears within the community.'
Senior police officers said residents had tried to stop the violence.

Chief Superintendent Mark Hamilton said the rioters were intent on causing 'mayhem and destruction'.

He said: 'These officers were doing their jobs, were policing their local community and have been attacked whilst doing so.

'This is utterly wrong and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Those involved in tonight's violence were intent on causing mayhem and destruction.

'We responded to this disorder immediately and officers put themselves in danger in order to restore normal and calm to the area for the residents who live there. No-one wants a return to this type of behaviour.'

Attacks: Shots were fired in North Queen Street, Belfast, during riots last night

He added: 'I am very grateful to those in the community who took personal risk to try and prevent disorder and help the police in very difficult circumstances.

'We have appealed for calm in the run-up to the Twelfth of July and we continue to do so. We would appeal to anyone with influence in the community to exert it to ensure that the next few days pass off without incident.'

An investigation is now under way into the disturbances. 

The acting chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Brian Rea, condemned the incidents.

'My thoughts are first and foremost with the family and colleagues of all the officers who were injured,' he said.

'This is very shocking news and the level of violence directed at police must be condemned.

'At this time I would call for calm right across the community.'

Three men have been arrested by detectives over the rioting. The suspects - aged 41, 42 and 46 - were detained in north Belfast.

They have been taken to the Serious Crime Suite in Antrim for questioning.

Seven people, including two young children, were also injured when they were hit by a car at an 11th Night bonfire on Belfast's Donegall Road.
Police are searching for the male driver of the car, believed to be a silver Peugeot, and said the two children remained under observation in hospital.

The shootings on Sunday night raised tensions ahead of today'sTwelfth of July commemorations, when thousands of Orangemen held parades across Northern Ireland.

The 'Twelfth' is the annual high-point of the Protestant Order's parading calendar.
The marches commemorate Prince William of Orange's 1690 Battle of the Boyne victory over Catholic King James II.