A man and a teenage boy have been charged in connection with loyalist rioting which took place in the Denmark Street area of north Belfast on Sunday September 2, police announced on Monday morning.
A 17 year old boy has been charged with riotous assembly, possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage. He is expected to appear before Belfast Youth Court on Wednesday November, 21.
While a 23-year-old man has been charged with riotous assembly, and is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Friday November, 23.
As is normal procedure all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.
Both of the men were arrested on Friday October 24. A 21 year old man also arrested on Friday on suspicion of riotous assembly has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
Loyalists rioted for three consecutive nights on Denmark Street/Carlisle Circus at the start of September in anger, after a Republican parade was allowed to pass one of Belfast’s biggest Orange halls with no restrictions while numerous Orange parades were issued with a series of restrictions for passing St Patrick’s catholic church on Donegall Street during the summer. Controversy broke out after the Young Conway Volunteers were videoed playing the tune of the sectarian Fame Song outside the same church. The band denied they were playing that song, and said they were playing another which shared the same tune.
Rival crowds of loyalists gathered on the Denmark Street side of Carlisle Circus while around 100 nationalists gathered on the lower Antrim Road side, each side throwing missiles at the other during the rioting which took place from September 2 - 4.
Several police officers were injured in the disturbances
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