The riots in Ardoyne last night were not just an orchestrated attempt to express intolerance at a display of Orange culture, nor an example of a community's complete inability to abide by normal standards of decency. The PSNI today said that republican rioters were clearly and deliberately trying to take lives. One of the police officers attending the scene was seriously injured and has had to undergo surgery.

Nine "devices" were thrown at the police, six of which exploded. Over 100 police officers were injured, but only 2 were treated in hospital. The trouble started after the Orange parade had passed and nationalist 'protestors' started attacking police. Petrol bombs and three blast bombs, as well as bottles and bricks, were thrown at the police during the disturbances.

This was all after the police had earlier allowed 15 protestors to stand on a bridge overlooking the morning parade with a protest banner. Are the scenes in Ardoyne at night the resultof trying to accommodate republican 'protestors'? I hope this is taken into account the next time republican groups from Ardoyne want to 'protest'.

"Beleaguered Nationalists of North Belfast"(explanation)
It gets better though. The poor protestors might have been hurt! The scumbags rioting at Ardoyne were hurling lethal weapons at the good men and women of the PSNI who dared to try and uphold basic order - and the lowlifes have the cheek to complain when the police break out the water cannon "too early". Gerry Adams said that by dousing the 'protestors' in water cannon they "took control away from the 'stewards'". What ballocks, if the stewards had any control there shouldn't be petrol bombs and blast bombs being thrown at police in the first place!

The police officers' lives are in serious danger, and we're supposed to feel sorry for those lowlife scum trying to kill them - just because the police break out a few plastic batton rounds (for the first time in three years)? Not only this, but these were the new baton rounds introduced because they carry a reduced risk of causing serious or fatal injuries. One would assume they're a lot less lethal than a blast bomb anyway.

"We've used water cannon and various other tactics, and we retain the right to use whatever tactics are necessary when we're faced with a lethal threat"
Superintendent Gary White, PSNI

Elsewhere...
52 petrol bombs were also thrown at police officers in Londonderry early on Wednesday morning, injuring 7 police officers.

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Obviously jealous of what a great time the rest of us were having, a few republicans in Belfast decided to express their own culture today. Here's the highlights.

Ardoyne
Republican rioters "seriously hurt" one police officer and injured another 50 as the police were attacked with blast bombs as they were leaving the Ardoyne shops area following the return leg of the Orange Order parade to Ligoniel. They also injured a BBC journalist who was hit by a device that was hurled from the crowd of 'protestors'. According to the BBC, indicators point to the violence being organised by the Continuity IRA, presumably building on Sinn Fein/Provisional IRA successes at attracting negative publicity to the Twelfth.

The morning's parade had passed off in peace - perhaps the republican elements were already contemplating their attack at the return leg later (or were still in bed hungover from last night's bonfires ). Nah, there were about 60 republicans, taking part in an illegal sit-down protest, who were removed by the police.

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Orange marchers with various flags

Sounds a bit odd to actually say "Happy 12th July" but I really couldn't say it any other way. The only time I can remember the day actually having a name was in a calendar in my mum's house when it was called Orangemen's Day, which I wasn't fussed on so "the 12th" it is.

Anyway, I took a jaunt up the road earlier to see some of the parade; it's a beautiful day after all and I haven't actually watched the bands in years. I noticed one asshole in a UFF t-shirt (tasteful, eh?) and was a bit disturbed by some clampet in a Linfield top, but tried not to let that put me off.

Aside from feeling very sorry for the marchers, particularly the ones in black or navy uniforms (I was sweating in just a t-shirt and jeans). They had to stop every now and again presumably because the heat was just so much - the ice-cream van beside me seemed to be doing a good trade though.

A Car Painted in a Union Flag design travels with the parade

Everything was very colourful, especially the Scottish bands. I didn't see the Alabama Lodge, although I missed the start (I was just up and still eating breakfast when I heard the first flutes and drums).

The fact that there were one or two young men hanging about clearly drunk (and this was only lunch time) doesn't aid the enjoyment. A pint or two's one thing - if you can handle it - but being wasted as 12:30's a bit over the top. None of the blokes I saw seemed threatening though and the atmosphere was fairly relaxed.

A horse, which I can only assume is Protestant, pulling a cart decorated with flags (Canada and Scotland amongst others) in the Orange march

According to the news the field at Lisburn (the destination of the main parade) was due to have all sorts of 'entertainment' scheduled, with less time spent on the religious service and Order resolutions this year, in an effort to make the day more family-oriented. There were certainly a lot of children involved in the marches. A lot of the flags and smaller banners were being carried by young ladies and there were kids from as young as 10 or so twirling their batons in the air - it's amazing how good they can be at such a young age!

I really hope the whole "family day out" angle takes off because I'm still a bit disturbed by some of the aspects of the day, particularly that the UVF/YCV bands I saw may be glorifying the paramilitaries. I'd also imagine that there have to be better tunes than the Billy Boys - I'm definitely not happy with the idea of being up to my neck in fenian blood.

All in all though it was a nice day and I'm glad I let my curiosity lead me up to watch. It was nearly worth it alone just to see the black taxi sporting a photograph of Gerry Adams in an Orange Sash - classic stuff! That said I don't think I'd particularly try and persuade any Catholic friends to go along unless they really wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Sorry I haven't been on much today - the weather was FAR too good so I went for a stroll around Botanic Gardens, did one lap and thought f**k this, so went for a pint or two before going to a barbeque. You won't hear much from me tomorrow either because after the parades (if I'm up in time) I'm heading off to another barbeque. Hope everyone has a happy twelfth!

David Taggart, the prisoner who escaped from Lisburn court a month back, has been rearrested by the police at a planned raid on the Antrim Road in north Belfast at about 6:00 this morning.

Police District Commander Ken Henning said this arrest had been the result of very intense policing and commended all the officers involved.

I was starting to wonder if he'd ever get caught again but its nice too see the system work. The PSNI defended the length of time it took them to rearrest Taggart.

"It would be our view that he has been on the move throughout this period. Mr Taggart may have disappeared from the public gaze. However, I can assure the public he didn't disappear from police gaze and we have been working to ensure he was brought into custody once more."
PSNI Chief Inspector Jonathon Kearney

Police had been following leads in north, west and east Belfast, Dunmurry, Donaghadee, Ards, Comber, Newry and Dundrum.

The annual Drumcree Parade has passed off peacefully today, amid what the BBC called 'low-key' security. As I mentioned in my Friday post, this is now the third year in a row the Drumcree Parade has passed off without any major incident.

Hundreds of Orangemen and women made the short walk from Drumcree church down to the security barrier to make a verbal protest at the Parade's Commission ruling that the Orange march could not proceed along the Garvaghy Road.

There were many less police officers this year than in previous years, all dressed in standard uniform although water-cannon were on standby and police Land Rovers were parked at potential flashpoints, like the top of the Garvaghy Road.

After a short religious service, District Master David Burrows addressed the Orange lodges assembled and criticised the Parade's Commission ruling. He also said that the protest would go on until Orangement were allowed to follow their traditional homeward route, as the Parade's Commission have barred them from doing since 1998.

It's unfortunate the media only see fit to cover this story in any meaningful way when there has been a violent outcome. Whenever there's a peaceful resolution nobody's interested in the fact that a once-a-year parade is being held to ransome by some self-appointed spokesperson for residents, who lives half a mile away and doesn't want Protestants to exist in Northern Ireland, let alone pop their head above the parapet.

Nevertheless, I'm glad to hear that this year's parade passed off without incident. Hopefully it will bode well for future applications and the Parade's Commission may once more allow the Orangement to walk peacefully down the Garvaghy Road.

Thanks to Slugger and A Tangled Web for pointing out a story at UTV about republicans protesting at the jailing of convicted bomber Sean Kelly and forcing a meeting of EU employment ministers, to be hosted by David Blunkett at Springvale, to be cancelled. 60 people showed up to protest at Kelly's rearrest which happened a few weeks back: presumably they all had the day off work for the protest - yeah right.

As Michael McGimpsey rightly points out, Sinn Fein are always crying out for investment in west Belfast because it's so "deprived" (based on events like this, I'd say depraved was closer but that's neither here nor there).

"When you consider that this protest was staged in an area where Sinn Fein representatives are always calling for continued investment from Europe because of deprivation, it is more than just stupidity. It is biting the hand that feeds them."

Michael McGimpsey, UUP

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Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.

Again, thanks to my trusty Value Cabs calendar

The PSNI have said that Drumcree will see scaled down physical security measures when the annual Drumcree Parade takes place this Sunday. While the Parade's Commission have again banned Orangemen from walking home along the Garvaghy Road (a ban they have imposed every year since 1998), the police point out that the last 2 Drumcree parades passed off peacefully.

"Last year we worked together with the organisers and the community and the result was a peaceful Drumcree. This was a positive outcome for the whole community in Portadown and we are optimistic for this year.

There were great efforts by people in all communities to reduce tension and maintain calm last year. We want to see that happen again and will work with people to achieve that."

"Our policing operation will be professional, balanced and proportionate and will have human rights at its very centre."
Chief Superintendent Drew Harris, PSNI

As I said in my Marching Season 2005 roundup I don't take a huge interest in Orange parades, so far be it from me to tell the Chief Superintendent how to do his job, but if I might offer a suggestion, could the policing operation not have policing at it's "very centre" and human rights as an important consideration?

Just a day after London won the 2012 Olympic bid, there have been several explosions in the city. There was an explosion at Aldgate Station and several reports of explosions on buses.

My first hunch was republicans. Second, anti-globalisation protestors, with Al-Qaeda coming in just third, nevertheless it seems that it was indeed Al-Qaeda. Back To Iraq carries translates an Al-Qaeda claim for the London transport bombings on an Islamist Arab website that the group behind it was an "Organization of Qaeda't al-Jihad in Europe."

The BBC say: at least 7 bombs went off (7 bombs, on 07/07 ?).