Belfast interface communities 'in angst' after violence

Louise Haigh met community workers in Lanark Way on Friday

There is "a real fear and angst" in Belfast's interface communities following recent rioting, Shadow NI Secretary Louise Haigh has said.

Violence has flared since the end of March in the worst street violence for years.

Following a visit to an interface area on Friday, Ms Haigh said there were fears NI could return to "the dark days of the violence of the Troubles".

"That is the angst that has been expressed to me," she said.

• Timeline: How Northern Ireland's violence unfolded

• What is behind the violence in Northern Ireland?

"The fact that there was rioting at the interface that we've not seen for several years now, that was what has really alarmed people."

'Sense of unease'

Almost 90 police officers were hurt in Northern Ireland's worst street violence for years, after sporadic rioting in several towns and cities since the end of March.

The governments in Belfast, London and Dublin condemned the unrest, with the US calling for calm as police used water cannons for the first time in six years.

Eighteen people were arrested and 15 charged after crowds of predominantly loyalist youths attacked lines of riot police officers and vehicles with bricks, fireworks and petrol bombs.

There have not been any incidents in recent days.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra after her visit to Lanark Way, which is an interface area, the Labour MP said she did not believe the specifics of the Northern Ireland Protocol had caused the violence.

Frustrations over the protocol were cited as one of the reasons for loyalist discontent, as were the lack of prosecutions over the Bobby Storey funeral.

Ms Haigh said "misinformation" around what the protocol does was causing concern.

"I think what it does do is potentially tap into a deeper sense of unease amongst communities here, and I would say those concerns are felt cross-community in Northern Ireland," she said.

Ms Haigh added that the majority of anger was caused by deprived communities from both nationalist and unionist areas not having access to better job opportunities, leisure facilities and youth services.

Shankill community worker Jackie Redpath said the visit by the shadow secretary was useful.

He said it was important for the area to "have some friends in the world and that's what we're cultivating with Louise".