NORTHERN IRELAND: VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT AFTER PROTESTANT MARCH

(11 Aug 1996) English/Nat

Sporadic violence broke out in Northern Ireland in the early hours of Sunday morning after a day of relatively peaceful parades by Protestant marchers known as Apprentice Boys.

Around 200 Republican (Catholic) youths threw petrol bombs and stones at police in the Strand Road area of Londonderry.

The rioters also set vehicles alight and smashed shop windows - several policemen were injured in the attacks.

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the rioters.

Violence returned to the streets of Northern Ireland once again - the latest in a series of sporadic clashes at the height of the province's "marching season".

Just hours earlier, the authorities had been congratulating themselves for the peaceful passing of yesterday's Protestant Apprentice Boys March which had threatened to plunge Northern Ireland into a fresh crisis.

In the event gangs of nationalist (Catholic) youths went on the rampage in the Strand Road and Diamond area of Londonderry.

Around 200 rioters threw stones and petrol bombs at police on patrol in the area - setting fire to cars and smashing up shop windows.

Police responded by opening fire with rubber bullets.

The clashes came just hours after the Protestant Apprentice Boys march in Londonderry passed without major incident.

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