UK riots: Petrol bombs hurled at Northern Ireland police as chaos erupts in ugly scenes
A helicopter is now flying overhead and rioters continue to clash with police.
Northern Ireland: Police vehicles targeted with petrol bombs
Shocking footage has shown police officers being targeted with petrol bombs on Nailors Row in Derry, Northern Ireland. Footage shared by BBC reporter Dean McLaughlin shows a group of people in a field behind a wall.
A police van is then set ablaze after a man appears to slam a bomb onto the front of the vehicle. Just moments earlier, officers were targeted with stones and fireworks during the unsavoury scenes.
The scenes come after thousands took part in a peaceful parade in the city on Saturday. The annual Apprentice Boys of Derry parade is a big loyal order march marking the anniversary of the ending of the Siege of Derry in 1689.
Around 5,000 members of the Apprentice Boys and 130 bands took part. The violence that took place after the parade was carried out by young nationalist youths, the BBC reports.
A helicopter has been pictured flying above the disorder, which the police say they are dealing with.
UPDATE: Petrol bombs are now being thrown at officers on Nailors Row in Derry.
— Dean McLaughlin (@Dean_Journalist) August 10, 2024
It's understood the young people are gathering their materials from the Bogside. @BBCNewsNI https://t.co/zbcegfTnzf pic.twitter.com/5yAdHxscQC
Thousands attended a reenactment of the Siege of Derry earlier in the day. The event is held on the last Saturday of August every year, commemorating the ending of the 105-day siege of the city back in in August 1689.
The siege came amid Catholic King James II's attempt to reclaim the crown from his Protestant son-in-law, King William III.
William's Protestant supporters blocked their opponents from gaining entry to the city.
The Governor of the Apprentice Boys, Graeme Stenhouse, said: "The Apprentice Boys have come on leaps and bounds over the past 25 years and we are going from strength-to-strength and our numbers are continuing to grow.
“The story of the Siege of Londonderry and the sacrifices continue to be told by the organisation and we hope it can continue for us to go forward in the future."
