The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has requested additional officers after three nights of disorder and violence erupted in Belfast in recent days.
“As a result of the ongoing street violence and disorder we have seen across Belfast since the weekend, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has taken a decision to significantly mobilize the service,” Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said in a statement on Wednesday, August 7.
“Unfortunately this will mean officers and staff working longer shifts and rest days.
“Increasing our resources and footprint across Northern Ireland in the coming days will enable us to manage planned events and deal with any sporadic incidents, including disorder.
“We have also submitted a request to National Police Co-ordination Centre for additional officers from across the United Kingdom to support the policing operation.
“The Mutual Aid officers will provide vital resilience and support and will be given all of the necessary equipment and familiarisation training.
“Any officers who may come to Northern Ireland would specifically assist with the ongoing public disorder and protests and not every day policing.
“We will continue to keep this under review.”
The update from the PSNI comes after violence and disorder erupted in Belfast on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday nights.
Much of the disorder was hate-based, racist, and Islamaphobic.
In a video statement addressing Northern Ireland's Muslim communities on Wednesday, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said in part: "I want to assure you that every police officer in the Police Service of Northern Ireland is here to look after you. We're here to protect you."
The PSNI said that on Saturday, "sporadic violence" developed across Belfast city centre and further disorder was reported in the Sandy Row area where a business premises was also set on fire. Four men were afterward charged and remanded into custody.
On Monday night, police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, and bricks thrown in their direction. A man in his 50s was also hospitalized - witnesses reported seeing his attackers stamp on his head as members of the public attempted to shield him from further attack.
On Tuesday night, the PSNI arrested several people and dealt with "a number of race-related hate crimes, hate incidents, and disorder across Belfast."
The PSNI said on Wednesday that police, investigating the report of a race hate-related assault on the Falls Road on Tuesday night in which a 15-year-old boy was assaulted, arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of riotous behaviour, common assault, and criminal damage.
Later on Wednesday, the PSNI confirmed that three men, aged 26, 28 and 41 years, who were arrested in connection to the report of damage to homes and cars in the Rathlin Street area of Belfast on Tuesday night, had been charged to appear at court.
Three teenage boys, arrested on Tuesday evening in the Shankill area of Belfast, have also been charged to appear at court. Two boys aged 16 and one aged 14, have all been charged with riotous behaviour and are due to appear at Belfast Youth Court on Monday 2nd September.
The string of disorder has been roundly condemned by Northern Ireland's leading politicians.
The Northern Ireland Assembly, which is on recess, has been recalled and will meet on Thursday to consider a motion that, in part, seeks to condemn the "criminal damage and targeting of businesses in recent days."
The motion also calls for the Assembly to "reject all forms of Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism."
Meanwhile, Belfast City Council passed a motion on Monday in support of the people and businesses affected by violence during protests in the city on Saturday.
It was also agreed that council officers would submit a report to a future special meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, as soon as possible, “to establish a programme of financial assistance for the business owners who were impacted by racist criminal attacks."
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