The annual Orange Order Parade in Belfast has once again incited violence among its participants, as riots erupted after police tried to block the protesters from passing a Catholic housing estate.
Northern Irish police who were on the scene were pelted with bottles, beer cans and other projectiles on Monday night. Among the police officers in the area, 24 were injured in the scuffle, according to Reuters.
Riot police responded to the protesters' attacks by firing water cannons and plastic bullets. A crowd of Catholics were also in the area, though they were separated from the violent rioters by a police cordon.
One of the particularly aggressive protesters was a man who drove his car into a crown outside the Ardoyne shops. A teenage girl ended up being trapped beneath the vehicle as a result, France 24 reported.
Assistant chief constable Stephen Martin has called for calm amid the violence, stating that he would "appeal for calm and ask that space be given to the medics attending the scene."
"An investigation into the circumstances is now underway," he added.
Politicians in the country have criticized the attacks, with Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers stating that by acting in a very aggressive manner, the protesters are contradicting the very principles in which they should be standing.
"Those responsible do nothing to further the cause they claim to promote. They damage Northern Ireland and wreck a day which should be about respectful celebration of cultural tradition," she said.
The Orange Order parade consists of massive marches every July with thousands of pro-British Protestants in honor of King William of Orange's victory in 1690 that sealed a protestant domination.
Check out this HNGN article to see how violent riots affect both participants and bystanders in demonstrations.
