Four more charged over Belfast disorder

Police with riot shields were deployed during the disorder in east Belfast on Wednesday night

Twenty-three people have been arrested - 15 of them have been charged and are in custody following violent disorder in recent days, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said.

Four men, aged 33, 25, 18, and 32 were charged on Thursday night in connection with the disorder in east Belfast on Wednesday night and are due to appear in court on Friday.

They are facing charges including criminal damage, resisting police, rioting and throwing a petrol bomb.

Police said a 25-year-old man arrested as part of the ongoing investigation has been released on police bail pending further enquiry.

"The PSNI will deal with this disorder... we will stop it," Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said on Thursday.

The windows of Muhammed Soufi Baddour's living room were smashed

On Wednesday night objects were thrown at officers at the junction of the Albertbridge Road and Newtownards Road in the east of the city.

Bins were set on fire, blocking Connswater Street, and officers in riot gear were deployed.

Police also dealt with a number of reports of criminal damage to homes and cars in the Silverstream Road, Sandy Row and Upper Frank Street area of east Belfast.

It follows several nights of rioting and disorder in the city.

One of those who was targeted in east Belfast on Wednesday night was Muhammed Soufi Basleddour, 29, and his young family.

'I'm not safe here'

The living room windows of his home were smashed with masonry at about 01:00 BST.

Muhammed said he slept in his car with his wife and kids after the attack because he was scared that "they were going to set fire to the house".

"It was scary", he told BBC NI, "I'm not safe here".

"I am scared for me of course, but I’m scared for my family. And the two children who were also inside."

Police Scotland request

Jon Boutcher said the violence has "got to stop and will stop"

Police released images on Thursday of people they want to speak to in relation to a number of incidents of disorder in Belfast.

The PSNI has asked for 120 officers from Police Scotland to be temporarily deployed to Northern Ireland from next week.

Mr Boutcher has briefed Stormont ministers on the recent anti-immigration protests and associated violence.

"Having those additional resources is vital to helping us be prepared for any future disorder," he said.

Mr Boutcher said talks about the PSNI's budget were for another day.

But he stated the force had been allowed to "decay" in recent years and his officers are "exhausted".

Liam Kelly said that the arrival of officers from Scotland would allow police in Northern Ireland "respite"

Liam Kelly from the Police Federation of Northern Ireland said he did not anticipate the request for 120 officers from Police Scotland to be deployed to Northern Ireland being an issue.

“Our Scottish colleagues aren’t facing the pressures that we have seen our colleagues in England facing in relation to public disorder,” he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme.

Mr Kelly said that “most of our officers who are involved in policing in public order are removed from their day jobs” to carry out that role and it is “not sustainable”.

“They need to get back to be able to do what they should be doing,” he added.

“Therefore, having that support in from our colleagues in Scotland to come in will enable our officers not only to go back to doing their day job, but actually allow them to have some rest and respite after what has been some considerable long hours over the last few days.”

'Social media misinformation'

The PSNI has also issued a statement to say that police were aware of "misinformation circulating on social media regarding advice to employers in Belfast city centre", but that it had not issued any guidance.

The messages relate to planned protests on Friday.

Police said they are aware of the plans and "will have a significant policing operation in place".

"[We] are working hard to keep everyone safe, while supporting the right to peaceful protest," the statement said.

'Diverse communities'

Debris littered the car park of the Connswater Shopping Centre in east Belfast after disorder on Wednesday night

Mr Boutcher said officers were going to addresses to arrest people following the disorder on Saturday night.

“There is no place in society for this," he said.

"All our migrant communities, all our diverse communities feel under threat, they feel a fear that I have not experienced, of the like that I have not seen in 40 years of policing.

“That’s not just here, that’s across the country.”

Mr Boutcher said ”this has got to stop and we will stop it".

“Think of those communities, support those communities, everyone in Northern Ireland needs to do that," he added.

“This is one of the safest places to live in the United Kingdom, it is one of the greatest places to live in the United Kingdom – we will police this, please make sure you support those communities.”

Police in riot gear were deployed during the disorder on Wednesday evening

What happened in Belfast?

There have been several nights of violence in Belfast including racially motived attacks and rioting.

A number of businesses were targeted after an anti-immigration protest at Belfast City Hall on Saturday.

Further disorder erupted on Monday and Tuesday evening, while a woman's home in Ballyclare was targeted on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, six people were charged with offences related to disorder in Belfast.

The PSNI said the charges related to incidents in Rathlin Street and the Shankill Road area.

Police have made several arrests after a week of disorder in Belfast

Three men appeared in court on Thursday in connection with reports of damage to homes and cars in Rathlin Street in north Belfast.

They were remanded into custody.

Three boys - aged 16, 16 and 14 - have been charged with riotous behaviour after being arrested on Tuesday in the Shankill area.

They are due to appear in court on 2 September.

Police say another 16-year-old arrested in west Belfast in relation to a race hate-related assault on Tuesday, in which a 15-year-old boy was assaulted, has been released on bail to allow for further enquiries.