29 people injured in clashes in Northern Ireland

THX/AFP reported on January 12 that police said at least 29 officers were injured in new clashes between Protestant and nationalist Catholic protesters on the streets of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

Clashes erupted when a group of Protestant youths marched through Short Strand, a predominantly Catholic area in East Belfast, after having held a protest outside Town Hall against the removal of the British flag.

Many buses were set on fire during the riots. (Source: AFP)

Police used water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse Catholic and Protestant crowds who were throwing rocks, bottles, and fireworks at each other. Northern Ireland Police Chief Matt Baggott said 29 officers were injured in the incident.

This new wave of violence followed weeks of Protestant riots after Belfast City Council's decision on December 3, 2012, to limit the number of days the British flag could be displayed.

Northern Ireland has experienced three decades of conflict between Protestants who support Northern Ireland's integration into the UK, and Catholics who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the Republic of Ireland.

The conflict claimed the lives of around 3,600 people in Northern Ireland before a peace agreement was signed in 1998.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT