Northern Ireland protests end without incident after police deployment
After two nights of unrest sparked by a knife attack video, police said the protests in Northern Ireland concluded peacefully following a heightened security presence.
Police in Northern Ireland said the protests that erupted over the weekend ended without further incidents after a large police deployment. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) brought in additional officers, including mutual-aid personnel from other UK forces, in response to concerns about possible escalation.
The unrest began after a video of a knife attack in north Belfast was widely shared on social media. A senior officer said there was no evidence that loyalist paramilitary groups were organising the disturbances, but noted that significant coordination was occurring online, both from within the region and from outside the island of Ireland.
Violence peaked on Wednesday in Glengormley and Portadown, where police were attacked and used water cannon. The PSNI reported 12 officers injured and 16 arrests that night. Ahead of Thursday, the force warned that water cannon, public-order dogs and large numbers of officers could be deployed if necessary.
Approximately 170 people gathered in Whiteabbey, County Antrim, and about 100 blocked the Newtownards Road in east Belfast. First Minister Michelle O'Neill condemned recent racist attacks and praised community efforts to support one another.
