Hate riot
Thursday, 1 July 2010
TERRIFIED residents were forced to look on helplessly as rival gangs went on the rampage through the heart of the Greystone estate in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Eyewitnesses have confirmed that at its peak there were more than 40 people - many of them armed with metal bars and baseball bats - creating 'utter mayhem' on the streets.
The first reports of mounting tensions came shortly after 10pm when small groups of Protestant and Catholic youths were observed taunting one another on the fringes of the estate. The mobs soon grew, their numbers bolstered by adults.
The simmering unrest inevitably came to the boil and soon the threats gave way to violence and the PSNI were forced to intervene.
At approximately 12.45am reports of sporadic violence filtered through and officers were despatched.
A 32-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but he was later released pending further enquiries.
The arrest did little to take the heat out of the situation, and by 1am scores of residents were woken from their slumber as the gangs converged on Donore Crescent.
The violence has been condemned by local DUP councillor Brian Graham.
Elsewhere a relative of Martin Morgan, who was gunned down in the estate on July 7 2007, angrily voiced his concern that the police had failed to restore order.
Shortly after 1.10am the rival groups came to blows, sparking pitched battles across several streets and cul-de-sacs. Nine cars were caught up in the crossfire, with windows smashed and bodywork dented.
One witness said that vehicles were targeted 'on a random basis' - and that neither Catholics nor Protestants were spared from the wanton vandalism.
“I heard the noise and looked out and I just couldn't believe my eyes and ears. There was a full-blown riot going on. I could hear glass smashing, people shouting and others screaming," the witness said.
“They were beating hell out of each other with whatever they could get their hands on. You could see pure hatred in their eyes. They wanted to kill each other - not hurt each other.
“Greystone is a mixed estate and people want nothing to do with this, but these bigots chose to bring their war here, and they didn't care whose property was damaged in the process.
“The next morning there was broken glass all over the place. And blood. You could see it over a couple of the cars.
“It was a terrifying experience, but it was also a sickening reminder of the violence and trouble we all want to get away from."
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