- Title: NORTHERN IRELAND: BATTLEFIELDS OF BELFAST: DUBLIN: REFUGEES ARRIVE
- Date: 16th August 1969
- Summary: BURNT OUT BUSES IN BELFAST; SOLDIERS TAKING UP POSITIONS; TIGHT SECURITY AT BELFAST AIRPORT; DUBLIN'S RECEPTION CENTRE FOR REFUGEES. Initials RE/V/PN/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND, DUBLIN, EIRE
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom Northern Ireland
- Reuters ID: LVA4R7H2EA6YYTHA027F7MO26ME1
- Story Text: DAWN BROKE IN BELFAST TODAY (SATURDAY) TO REVEAL THE SAVAGERY OF THE NIGHT'S RIOTING, 12 HOURS OF TERROR WHICH SAW BITTER STREET FIGHTING ARSON, SNIPING, LOOTING AND OPEN DEFIANCE OF THE MILITARY PEACE-KEEPING FORCE. MORE AND MORE SOLDIER HAVE BEEN ORDERED IN TO SET UP "NO-MAN'S- LAND" BETWEEN RIVAL PROTESTANT AND ROMAN CATHOLIC FACTIONS. IN DUBLIN, MEANWHILE, THE FIRST OF THE REFUGEES FROM NORTHERN IRELAND ARE BEING RECEIVED.
MORE THAN 1,000 BRITISH SOLDIERS ARE NOW PATROLLING THE STREETS OF RIOT-SCARRED BELFAST, THE NORTHERN IRELAND CAPITAL OF 400,000 PEOPLE, PREDOMINANTLY PROTESTANT. THE SOLDIERS ARE CONCENTRATED MAINLY NEAR CATHOLIC GHETTOS, PARTICULARLY THE CRUMLIN ROAD AREA, SCENE OF BITTER STREET BATTLES.
SEVEN PEOPLE, INCLUDING A CHILD, HAVE ALREADY DIED IN THE BELFAST DISTURBANCES AND MORE THAN 300 INJURED. SIXTYSIX OF THESE WERE GUNSHOT VICTIMS.
TODAY (SATURDAY) THE TROOPS CORDONED OFF THE ARDOYNE-CRUMLIN ROAD AREA TO THWART AN EXPECTED LARGESCALE ATTACK ON THE CATHOLICS THERE. LAST NIGHT MORE THAN 50 CATHOLIC HOMES WERE LOOTED AND BURNED IN THE AREA.
FATHER O'DONNELL, RECTOR OF THE HOLY CROSS CHURCH WHOSE SPIRES DOMINATE THE AREA, HAD EARLIER APPEALED FOR TROOP PROTECTION. HE FEARED, OTHERWISE, "A MASSACRE".
WHEN THE TROOPS DID ARRIVE THEY WERE CHEERED. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS CATHOLIC WOMEN AND CHILDREN TOOK TEA AND SANDWICHES TO THEIR PROTECTORS. TONIGHT THEY ARE ON THE ALERT: SOME HOLED UP IN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS WHILE OTHERS ARE KEEPING WATCH FROM VANTAGE POINTS IN THE STREETS AND ON TOP OF BUILDINGS.
NORTHERN IRELAND PREMIER, MAJOR CHICHESTER-CLARK, CLAIMS THE FIGHTING HAS BEEN FANNED "BY WELL DISCIPLINED AND RUTHLESS MEN WORKING TO AN EVIDENT PLAN". HIS GOVERNMENT HAS INVOKED THE SPECIAL POWERS ACT WHICH PERMITS POLICE TO DETAIN SUSPECTS FOR 48 HOURS AND WHICH CAN BE FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD OF INTERNMENT. SEVERAL MEN HAVE ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED UNDER THIS ACT.
(IN LONDONDERRY, WHERE THE RIOTING FIRST ERUPTED ON TUESDAY, A DEPUTATION OF CATHOLICS MET ARMY AUTHORITIES TODAY. A REQUEST TO POLICE THEIR OWN AREA WAS GRANTED. FOR THE HOUR CALM PREVAILS THERE.)
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