Belfast trouble

[Redfraggle]

Hi all, just letting you all know that YES the trouble is at the end of our road but we can't actually see it. But we can hear the shots and the fireworks and the helicopter is a pain in the a$$ at night. I expect it'll go on for another few nights yet. But we are totally fine. None of us actually know what the trouble is about

[giraffe]

Saw it on the news and thought of you. Glad to hear you are ok.

[Bunnylump]

Me too!

[LAT]

ditto! Stay safe!

[Scurra]

None of us actually know what the trouble is about

I don't think anyone involved actually knows what the trouble is about either. Glad to hear you're fine.

[Redfraggle]

Scurra - never was a truer word spoken.

They are all little scumbags - but it seems it was orchestrated in some way by both sides. But no one seems to know what started it. Just hope it ends soon - we're all tired in work because of the noise at night.

[chazzie]

Thinking of you - and hope things calm down soon

[pebbles]

Hope it ends soon - stay safe.

[clvrlad]

glad everyone's ok

know how i first heard of it?

your post
I don't see newspapers when I'm not at work

hope you get some sleep tonight

[tricia]

stay safe

Tricia

[Looby]

Have been thinking of you.

I'd hide under the duvet if I was you! (You might find something interesting )

[Redfraggle]

It's all quiet so far tonight - just back from school show and staff had to walk some children home - just in case! The helicopters were out last night and I got very little sleep - seems I pick up the vibration from the helicopter instead of the noise. Ivan slept through it. There was a huge stand off last night but little trouble. It'll settle eventually.

[Wulfruna]

It's not even as if it were the July "marching season" - perhaps they thought they could escape police attention by starting early..... hope you are able to keep well out of it and that it will die away for lack of support.

[Redfraggle]

Marching season is not actually about trouble - it's about celebration. Most of our core group of DVP'ers all came to Belfast to witness 12th of July for themselves and Im sure they'll all tell you that they had a great time with absolutely NO trouble. In Northern Ireland we are proud to be British despite protests from the other side.

This trouble took place in a flashpoint area - that's where protestant and catholic areas meet. I happen to live near the flashpoint. It has been happening for years and is likely to continue.

I got a text which is quite funny, it says 'police are using a new tactic to help with the riots. Helicopters are going to drop job application forms on rioters to disperse the crowd'

[giraffe]

Yes, we had a lovely time in Belfast.

[strep98]

Glad you are OK. Must admit I am worried about my son and his girlfriend coming over in July, but I am sure they will be fine.

[Redfraggle]

Where exactly are they going to Strep? Is it a holiday?

Northern Ireland people are really friendly (strange as that may seem). The parade in Belfast is massive - there are about 500 000 people watching parades and a lot of them are tourists.

[strep98]

I thought she said Belfast (she is Northern Irish), very peculiar reason for coming over, she had an accident when she was a kid and the compensation money is held in trust over there and she now she is 18 she can collect, but she has to go to Ireland to sign for it I thought they could transfer it to a solicitor and bank here, but she says not.

[Redfraggle]

Yes, that's right. A claim is paid from the Northern Ireland office - so she has to come over with identification and claim it herself.

If she's from Belfast - she'll know exactly where to go. Northern Ireland is actually a safer place to be than the mainland. It's very safe for children too - so dont worry. Im not that brave and I've lived here all my life completely unscathed (well im a bit of a nutcase but you knew that anyway)

[tricia]

Where exactly are they going to Strep? Is it a holiday?

Northern Ireland people are really friendly (strange as that may seem). The parade in Belfast is massive - there are about 500 000 people watching parades and a lot of them are tourists.

I hate going to Glasgow during the marching season - here it is not a celebration and can end in fights

Tricia