'Entirely predictable': Pro-Israel protestor says clashes at Belfast City Hall should be blamed on 'up to 50 masked youths - some chanting free Palestine'
A pro-Israel protestor who witnessed trouble flaring at Belfast City Hall has said the scenes were “entirely predictable”.
Ron McDowell was one of scores of loyalist demonstrators who had gathered at the hall on Tuesday night to object to the city council’s decision to fly the Palestinian flag from the roof in solidarity with Gaza.
He said the trouble began when between 40 to 50 youths – whom he described as late teens, all clad in black and masked – turned up at the hall and sang pro-Palestinian songs, including the chant “free, free Palestine”.
Some of the loyalist crowd “retaliated”, crossed over the road at Donegall Square North, and the melee continued down much of the length of Donegall Place – the main shopping thoroughfare in the city – as police tried to keep the two groups apart.
Videos have circulated online showing the clashes and police detaining people.
The flying of the Palestinian flag from the hall was Sinn Fein’s idea.
Councillors had voted in favour of it last month (including the SDLP and Alliance Party), then further ratified that decision on Monday.
Unionists had objected, but did not have enough councillors to stop it.
Mr McDowell, a TUV councillor and the party’s deputy leader, told the News Letter that the decision “has taken a sledgehammer to community relations in the city” – all over “a situation that we can’t influence nor change” in the Middle East.
He said that, as such, the scenes on Tuesday night were “entirely predictable and entirely disappointing”, and indeed “the police predicted it with their presence”.
He believes the pro-Palestinian crowd were republicans, and said: “The blame is fairly and squarely at the door of the pro-Palestinian mob.
"The right to protest and assemble is fundamental.
"The protest at the front of City Hall by the pro-Israel protestors had been going on for maybe an hour, 45 minutes – no singing, no chanting, just people standing and talking, which is a right.”
Trouble only developed “when they were confronted” by “a gang of dozens of teenagers all dressed in black, all with masks, and all shouting aggressively”.
The PSNI had said the pro-Israel protest started at around 5.30pm and had been “peaceful” until “a second group of people approached the protest at approximately 6.30pm and began to antagonise protesters”.
Among the items on display among the loyalist crowd was a large Union flag banner with the Israel flag, Ulster Banner, and an AK47 rifle alongside the words: “Brothers in arms.”
Two men were arrested after the disorder on Tuesday night.
They were aged 18 and 46.
They have both been charged with disorderly behaviour and are due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 30.
SDLP group leader Seamas de Faoite had said that he was saddened by “the chaos loyalism and the far-right have once again inflicted on Belfast,” adding: “They are yesterday’s men and women, who cannot accept the new and pluralistic Belfast.”
DUP group leader councillor Sarah Bunting had responded: “You criticise and try to place blame on everyone but yourself, trying to deflect the attention away from the role you and your party played in this.
“Anyone with any sense knew that this decision was going to create tension and conflict.
"And as you always do, your first reaction was to come out and blame loyalism. Shameful!”
Meanwhile a man has been charged in connection with a protest outside Belfast Courts on Tuesday afternoon (again, protestors had gathered there to voice opposition to the flying of the Palestine flag).
The 20-year-old has been charged with disorderly behaviour and doing a provocative act.
He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 30.
More generally, councillor McDowell also told the News Letter that in light of recent pro-Palestinian activism “I've spoken with members of the Jewish community, individuals who would be of opinion that they would maybe like to see the Holocaust memorial event taken away from City Hall in the future... they are of the mind that they no longer feel safe there, and they would like to have it taken away”.