SAOIRSE32

By Andrea Byrne
Independent.ie
Sunday July 13 2008

More than 70 prisoners, many armed, barricaded themselves into a recreation room in the D Wing of Mountjoy prison in a stand-off with prison officers yesterday evening.

Seven people — four staff and three prisoners — were injured in the altercation which last several hours. The incident is understood to have started shortly after 4pm and concluded shortly before 7pm.

Prison staff retreated out of D Wing and senior management, including the prison governor John Lonergan, were called in to the prison.

100 prison officers in full riot gear stormed the area and took control of the situation and escorted the prisoners back to their cells.

It is believed that the prisoners had broken into a workshop and gained access to dangerous tools.

It is also understood that the prisoners had access to snooker cues and balls from the recreation room and it is believed that they were used during the altercation.

A large number of gardai were drafted in during the protest. Several ambulances sped away from the prison shortly after 6pm with sirens blazing. As a result of the major security alert, the rest of the prison was locked down, with all other prisoners returned to their cells. Senior figures were reluctant to make an official statement last night for fear that it would heighten tensions within the prison.

Though prison services remained tight-lipped as to the cause of the protest, it is understood that it occurred as a result of unhappiness about new security measures introduced by officers in recent days.

A clampdown on drugs and illegally held mobile phones is also believed to have been a contributory factor.

- Andrea Byrne

Henry McDonald, Ireland Editor
Guardian
Sunday July 13, 2008

More than a dozen police officers were injured yesterday during sectarian clashes in Northern Ireland as the Orange loyalist marching season neared its climax.

Petrol bombs, stones, bottles and other missiles were hurled at police during disturbances at Obin Street, in Portadown, Co Armagh, early yesterday morning.

Thirteen officers suffered injuries, with four needing hospital treatment, in violence that police said was largely nationalist inspired. Two men were arrested and a 26-year-old charged with riotous behaviour.

There were also clashes in north and south west Belfast, with rioting in the New Lodge Road and Broadway areas, during which police officers came under sustained attack. In the New Lodge riot, one policeman received leg injuries during disturbances involving 50 people.

In Co Antrim, an Orange hall in Rasharkin was attacked by arsonists shortly before 4am. There was scorch damage to the outside of the building and paint was thrown at the premises.

The violence came as organisers of the 12 July Orange Order demonstrations said they hoped the turnout for parades would top the 500,000 estimated last year. Orangemen from Australia, the US and Canada joined others from lodges across Ireland and Scotland.

In recent years the Orange Order has tried to change the image of the event, making it a festival that will attract tourists. One of the leading members of the Orange Order had earlier appealed to what he called ‘the blue bag brigade’ not to spoil the event for the huge crowds by over-indulging in alcohol.

Speaking at the main demonstration in Belfast, the grandmaster of the Orange Lodge of Ireland issued a call for unionist unity to maximise their influence. Drew Nelson said disunity between the DUP and the Ulster Unionists was lowering morale and creating the danger of handing seats to nationalists in forthcoming elections.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister, DUP leader Peter Robinson, has indicated that he would like to build bridges with the UUP and form a united front for the next Westminster elections. But UUP leader Sir Reg Empey has poured scorn on the idea of an electoral alliance.

Opponents of powersharing used the 12 July demonstrations yesterday to criticise the DUP for being in government with Sinn Fein, distributing thousands of leaflets criticising Robinson at a variety of parades.

Grandmaster Robert Saulters, the leader of the Orange Order, launched an attack on Sinn Fein, saying he was sickened to see it in government.

Addressing Orangemen in Dromara, Co Down, he said: ‘It is sickening to us, following such dastardly attacks on our people for 35 years, to see the commanders of that enemy sitting in government today acting as politicians who care for the peaceful existence of the people.’