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Turbulence in Northern Ireland


It has been a turbulent week in Northern Ireland, with civilian riots and petrol bomb attacks consuming Derry and Belfast.
The violence culminated in an attack on the Belfast home of Gerry Adams, the former leader of the Sinn Fein political party.
‘Loyalists’ have been blamed for the disorder- which has ended in a number of arrests.
Over the weekend, a 22 year old man was arrested and charged with possession of explosives and intent to ‘endanger life’.
A teenager arrested on Friday on suspicion of ‘attempted murder of police’, has been released unconditionally.
A number of others have been detained for possession of petrol bombs, and disorderly behavior, whilst a variety of ‘industrial, firework type devices’ have been seized by police.
Many of those involved in the violence are youths, some not yet in their teens, as young as eight years old.
Chief constable George Hamilton released a statement, revealing how ‘it is believed that the violent dissident republican groups are behind the attacks, using whatever excuse they can to bring unrest and to  have young people involve themselves in violence against the police’.
Hamilton warns that if current levels of violence are to continue, ‘it is only a matter of time before a police officer, or a child is injured, or worse’.
The media reports that the so-called ‘New-IRA’ is behind the attacks, quick to condemn, but with little speculation as to why the violence has reoccurred.
Better community relations have been growing in Northern Ireland over recent years, a result of the Good Friday Agreement which was installed in 1998.
But many young, working class people feel as though the agreement has failed to better their situation.
An increasing sense of desperation has arisen, as life prospects for the working class appear to worsen, while the middle class citizens benefit from the GFA.
The Bogside area, in Derry, is where a majority of last week’s attacks took place. The Foyle region where it is located is considered to have some of the highest rates of unemployment in the UK.
The Belfast Telegraph reports how the area is one of five areas in Northern Ireland, selected for a 45 million pound project aiming to conquer some of these social challenges.
But while some improvements have been made, Northern Ireland is still home to a suicide epidemic that’s spiraling faster than any other place in the UK.
It seems as though the Good Friday Agreement, while bringing a welcome end to the violence, brought little else to the working class people.
The areas that suffered most during the conflict continue to suffer today- A result of lack of provisions, career prospects, and high political policing.
It is thought by some residents of Derry, that last week’s fallout can be explained in part by the social deprivation that continues to grip parts of Northern Ireland.

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