Andersontown News, September 5, 2002 - http://www.irelandclick.com/

Short Strand Diary

NOT SO QUIET IN CLUAN PLACE

One Short Strand mother’s record of events

Wednesday 21 August
00.15am Unexploded hand grenade found in Clandeboye Gardens, riot squad are still in Clandeboye Drive.
00.35am Riot squad withdraw back to the arch in Clandeboye.
00.40am Three PSNI jeeps arrive in Clandeboye and drive round to Clandeboye Gardens. Another jeep blocked off the entrance to Clandeboye Gardens from Clandeboye Drive.
00.55am Bomb disposal arrived.
01.35am Ballbearings being fired from the vicinity of Beechfield Street school into Beechfield Street in the Short Strand.
01.45am Riot squad pull out.
03.05am Nuts, bolts, bricks being thrown into Cluan Place.
11.25am Stones, bricks are being thrown again at workmen repairing roofs.
11.28am Fireworks are coming into Clandeboye from Cluan Place.
02.00pm Fireworks again being fired into Clandeboye from Cluan Place.
02.35pm Bottles, bricks, stones, ballbearings and nuts and bolts coming in from Cluan Place.
03.55pm Bricks, stones, golf balls from Cluan Place into Clandeboye.
07.15pm A funeral of local man going into St Matthew’s Church is stoned by loyalists from Newtownards Road, golf balls are also thrown, no PSNI presence, no protection provided. When funeral Mass was over at approximately 8pm the same group of loyalists were still present and attacked the mourners coming out of the chapel. The PSNI were present at this stage but still no protection was provided for the cortege. PSNI were parked on the corner of Bryson Street/Newtownards Road and the stones and golf balls were raining in, in full view of PSNI.
08.20pm Crowd of loyalists at the top of Mountpottinger Road start stoning houses and people who have come out. At the same time a barrage of missiles, stones, fireworks and paint-bombs are thrown over from Cluan Place. Some of the fireworks land on roofs in Clandeboye. Earlier loyalists from Cluan Place soaked the roofs in Clandeboye with hoses in order to cave in the already badly damaged roofs.
08.45pm Two PSNI/RUC jeeps arrive in Clandeboye, driving in and straight out again while barrage of missiles are thrown over from Cluan Place. Residents shout at the PSNI to do something about the situation, they are ignored and jeeps move on.
09.00pm Four to five jeeps arrive in Clandeboye Drive. PSNI get out dressed in riot gear, missiles still coming over from Cluan Place. Around this time six RIR jeeps have pulled up to Madrid Street, occupants get out dressed in riot gear, there had been no trouble in Madrid Street.
09.30pm Reports are coming into the district of rioting on the Albertbridge Road by loyalists clashing with the PSNI/RUC. A car and bus have been hijacked, the car burned and the bus recovered.
10.35pm Three blast bombs are thrown into Bryson Street, two explode.
10.50pm Heavy fireworks come into Clandeboye from Cluan Place.
11.30pm Ballbearings, marbles, fireworks from Cluan Place into Clandeboye.
11.50pm Bricks, bottles, stones from Cluan Place into Clandeboye as police jeeps sit in Clandeboye Drive.
11.59pm Another barrage of missiles from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.

Thursday 22 August
12.10am Bricks, stones, nuts and bolts come in from Cluan Place. This continues until 12.55am.
12.55am Four jeeps move into Clandeboye and three come out, laughing and joking as they pass each other. Fireworks are fired in from Templemore Avenue.
12.57am Fireworks from Cluan Place into Clandeboye.
01.00am Ballbearings and bricks from Cluan Place into Clandeboye.
01.30am Bricks, bottles and stones from Thistle Court into Clandeboye Drive.

Saturday 24 August
12.45pm Four fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Drive from Cluan Place.
03.00pm Two petrol bombs thrown at priest’s house but miss the target. Six or eight young loyalists stone chapel for approximately an hour, throwing over lines of traffic on Newtownards Road.
06.45pm Young loyalists stone chapel and people going to Mass. PSNI continually drive past incidents but take no action. Young loyalists continue to stone the chapel and grounds sporadically through the night.
07.15pm Fireworks, bricks and bottles thrown into Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place.
07.20pm Bricks, bottles thrown from Thistle Court into Madrid Street.
08.15pm Large fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.
08.20pm Large firework thrown from Cluan place into Clandeboye Drive.
10.35pm Three fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.
10.45pm Two fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye
10.55pm Large firework thrown into Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place.
11.15pm Three large fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place.

Sunday 25 August
01.05am Fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place
08.00am Bricks, bottles, ballbearings, nuts and bolts and fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Gardens from Cluan Place, Paulette Avenue and Langtry Court – continues until 10am.
12.30pm Fireworks, bricks, bottles, nuts and bolts thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Gardens, continuing sporadically throughout the day until 5.45pm.
01.00pm The chapel and grounds are stoned throughout the day and night from Newtownards Road.
06.00pm Residents confront PSNI who had just driven into Clandeboye estate about the attacks that had taken place all that day. A barrage of fireworks, nuts and bolts, paint bombs, ball bearings, marbles are thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Gardens while PSNI sit in their jeeps.
08.00pm Attacks escalate in Clandeboye Drive, Gardens and Madrid Street from Thistle Court and Beechfield Street continuing until midnight. PSNI and army – around 40 jeeps – sit at the top of Mountpottinger Road facing towards the residents of Clandeboye and Mountpottinger Road, all the while these attacks continue and they make no attempt to stop them.

Monday 26 August
12.35pm A constant barrage of commercial fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Drive from Cluan Place, a journalist from the Irish Independent is present and witnesses the attacks. In 20 minutes a total of 100 fireworks have been thrown from Cluan Place.
01.00pm PSNI drive into Clandeboye and park at the top of Clandeboye Drive. A resident from Clandeboye Drive along with a journalist approach the PSNI and ask them why they are in Clandeboye when the fireworks are being thrown from Cluan Place. PSNI said there was no police presence in Cluan Place, then close the doors of the jeep and sit there while the attacks continue.
01.30pm Fireworks, bolts, stone, ball bearings, marbles and bottle thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye. Residents turn on fire hoses and direct the water in Cluan Place to try and stop the attacks. It doesn’t stop them and loyalists chant sectarian abuse.
02.30pm Missiles thrown sporadically from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive and Gardens for the rest of the day.
08.00pm Young loyalists stone chapel and grounds sporadically for two hours from the Newtownards Road.
10.00pm A bonfire is lit facing the chapel, PSNI show a presence but take no action.

Tuesday 27 August
10.00am Three jeeps of PSNI in riot gear drive into Clandeboye Gardens and arrest a resident from his home for riotous behaviour.
10.40am Fireworks thrown into Clandeboye Gardens from Langtry Court, residents of Clandeboye phone PSNI but they don’t come out.
12.00pm While a protest is being held at Mountpottinger Barracks workmen repairing houses in Clandeboye come under attack with a barrage of missiles from Cluan Place.
01.00pm Unexploded firework with a gas canister attached is found in the back garden of a house in Clandeboye Drive.
02.00pm. A man appears at a window of a house in Cluan Place and proceeds to video residents of Clandeboye while making obscene gestures at the women he was filming.
02.30pm Nuts, bolts, stones, bricks and bottles thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens.
04.30pm Fireworks with large steel bolts attached and three paint bombs thrown at house in Clandeboye Drive from Cluan Place.
05.30pm paint bombs, fireworks, nuts and bolts thrown from Cluan Place at the back of homes in Clandeboye Drive breaking windows in some homes.
05.35pm Fireworks, bricks, nuts and bolts thrown sporadically into Clandeboye Gardens and Clandeboye Drive until 8pm.
07.00pm Loyalists hose the roofs of the houses in Cluan Place with water.
08.30pm Houses in Clandeboye Gardens are attacked with bricks, bottles, golf balls, nuts and bolts.
10.00pm Hundreds of missiles including nuts and bolts, bricks, bottles, ball bearings, golf balls thrown into Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place.
10.15pm Smoke is seen coming from the backs of houses in Clandeboye Drive. When residents go to investigate they see it is coming from behind the wall in Cluan Place and screams are heard coming from Cluan Place.
10.30pm Large fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive and Gardens. PSNI drive into Clandeboye and shine lights from the jeeps on to the residents. PSNI are in riot gear and sit in Clandeboye while the attacks with fireworks continue from Cluan Place.
10.50pm A large pipe bomb is thrown into Clandeboye Drive from Cluan Palce. It explodes, sending large amounts of shrapnel flying all over Clandeboye Drive, just missing residents and journalist who are standing there.
11.10pm PSNI and army seal off Clandeboye while a large crowd of loyalists gather at the top of Mountpottinger Road. The PSNI refuse to let cars leave or enter the Short Strand from the top of Mountpottinger Road. PSNI try to arrest a resident who is filming the attacks all night but residents intervene.

Wednesday 28 August
12.40pm 10 fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.
12.43pm PSNI come in and search entries and cut hose pipe.
12.45pm Young Catholic mother is stoned by loyalists as she leaves the doctor’s surgery with her young child.
03.40pm Loyalists attack workmen fixing roofs of houses in Clandeboye Drive.
04.00pm Attacks on houses in Clandeboye intensify with large amounts of bricks, bottles and fireworks thrown from Cluan Place in full view of PSNI.
04.10pm PSNI officer admits that nothing is thrown from Clandeboye into Cluan Place.
06.15pm Loyalists attack houses with bricks on Mountpottinger Road from the billboards at Castlereagh Street.
06.30pm Stones thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Gardens. Paint bombs thrown into Clandeboye Drive.
06.35pm Loyalists video people on Mountpottinger Road from billboards at Castlereagh Street.
06.45pm Loyalists attack homes in Clandeboye Drive with bricks, bottles and other missiles from Cluan Place.
06.50pm Loyalists attack houses in Clandeboye Gardens with bricks, bottles and other missiles from Cluan Place.
06.56pm Loyalists attack Clandeboye Drive with fireworks, bricks, bottles and stones from Cluan Place.
07.10pm Attack on Clandeboye intensifies with large amounts of missiles being thrown from Cluan Place.
08.15pm Large crowd of loyalists try to enter Clandeboye arch, around 150 in total.
08.20pm PSNI and army enter Mountpottinger Road and block off the road and face nationalists.
08.25pm Masked loyalists gather at billboard at Mountpottinger Road in full view of PSNI and army.
08.33pm Loyalists attack houses in Clandeboye Gardens in full view of PSNI.
08.35pm Attack in Clandeboye Gardens intensifies with bricks, bottles and other missiles, all in full view of the PSNI, helicopter overhead the whole time.
08.40pm Two acid-filled bottles thrown into Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place.
08.42pm Bricks, bottles and other missiles thrown into Clandeboye Gardens from Cluan Place. At the same time a sustained attack is launched from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.
08.49pm Large pipe bomb explodes on roof of house in Clandeboye Drive in full view of PSNI and army who are sitting in two Land Rovers in Clandeboye Drive.
09.37pm Large amount of army gather on Mountpottinger Road.
09.40pm Five jeeps come into Clandeboye Drive and sit there.
10.18pm Pipe bomb explodes outside house in Clandeboye Drive, thrown from Cluan Place.
10.19pm Two jeeps shine their headlights on house that pipe bomb exploded outside.
10.29pm Another two jeeps arrive in Clandeboye Drive.
10.31pm Pipe bomb explodes in Clandeboye Drive while PSNI and army sit in Land Rovers, device thrown from Cluan Place.
10.33pm Pipe bomb thrown from Cluan Place explodes in Clandeboye Drive, bricks, bottles and around 30 fireworks are also thrown.
10.37pm Large fireworks explode at house in Clandeboye Drive thrown from Cluan Place.
10.38pm Fireworks thrown from Claun Place into Clandeboye Drive.
10.40pm Loyalists douse roofs in Clandeboye Drive with water, while PSNI approach but do nothing.
10.41pm Large explosive device goes off on roof of house in Clandeboye Drive thrown from Cluan Place.
10.41pm Fireworks thrown from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive.
10.46pm Pipe bomb explodes outside house in Clandeboye Drive.
10.48pm Petrol bombs explode on roof of house in Clandeboye Drive and set roof on fire. At the same time a large firework explodes at front of same house.
10.49pm Petrol bombs thrown at bungalow in Clandeboye Drive from Cluan Place.
10.50pm Petrol bombs thrown at house in Clandeboye Drive setting the roof on fire.
10.51pm More petrol bombs thrown from Cluan Place and land on the same roof as a minute before.
10.57pm Fire crew arrive to douse roofs down in Clandeboye Drive.
11.09pm Explosive device with petrol attached explodes in Clandeboye Gardens.
11.30pm PSNI and army riot squads enter Clandeboye in large numbers and go berserk, beating people and shooting plastic bullets. At least 15 people shot with plastic bullets, 10 receive hospital treatment; all the while loyalists continue their attack on Clandeboye from Cluan Place until 1am.

Thursday 29 August
06.30am bricks and bottles thrown from Newtownards Road into bungalows at Strand Walk.
Workmen fixing roofs of houses in Clandeboye are forced to leave due to being attacked by missiles from Cluan Place.
05.00pm ACC Alan McQuillan drives through Clandeboye in bullet-proof car.
06.00pm Statement from Alan McQuillan put out saying IRA and UVF are fighting war by street conflict. New tactics to be deployed.
06.15pm Upwards of 100 RIR and British Army enter and seal off Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens. Reports that the same is happening in Cluan Place and Paulette Avenue. Large crowd of loyalists gather at Castlereagh Street. RIR soldiers exchange sectarian taunts and gloat about attacks on Short Strand. Presence remains throughout the night.
08.00pm Several fireworks fired into Clandeboye Gardens from Paulette Avenue.
08.00pm Strand Walk attacked with bricks and bottles from Newtownards Road for 10 minutes.
09.00pm Steel missiles thrown from Thistle Court into Bryson Street and Madrid Street, lasting half an hour.

Friday 30 August
Sporadic stone throwing from Thistle Court into Madrid Street.
06.15pm Upwards of 100 RIR and British Army enter and seal off Clandeboye Drive and Clandeboye Gardens. Large crowd of loyalists gather at Castlereagh Street. RIR soldiers exchange sectarian taunts. Presence remains throughout the night.

Saturday 31 August
Clandeboye relatively quiet. Sporadic stone throwing from Thistle Court into Madrid Street.
06.15pm Upward of 100 RIR and British Army enter Clandeboye and take up position at Mountpottinger Road. RIR use sniffer dogs to search hallway in Clandeboye, they remain there until 1am.

Sunday 1 September
02.30pm Petrol bombs from Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive. Ballbearing thrown from Albertbridge Road.
06.15pm Upwards of 100 RIR and British Army enter Clandeboye and take up position at Mountpottinger Road.

Monday 2 September
03.00pm Workmen attacked at Clandeboye Drive with bricks and bottles.
03.30pm Device thrown over wall from Cluan Place into Clandeboye. Takes PSNI 40 minutes to respond. Device later declared a hoax by ATO.
Sporadic stone throwing continues from Cluan Place into Clandeboye.
11.00pm Fireworks thrown into Clandeboye from Cluan Place.

Journalist: Staff Reporter