Northern Ireland on the edge again

SECTARIAN rioting has returned to the streets of Northern Ireland, just weeks shy of its 100th anniversary as a territory of the United Kingdom.

For several nights, young protesters loyal to British rule – fuelled by anger over Brexit, policing and a sense of alienation from the UK – set fires across the capital of Belfast and clashed with police. Scores have been injured.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for calm, said “the way to resolve differences is through dialogue, not violence or criminality”.

But Northern Ireland was born of violence.

Deep divisions between two identity groups