BURNING HATRED

Petrol bombs & fireworks are hurled at PSNI. Top cop pleas for calm after 'reckless' assault

- JONATHAN MCCAMBRIDGE and REBECCA BLACK

A CHIEF of police appealed for calm as scenes of violence against police during a dissident parade were condemned by politicians across Ireland.

Missiles were hurled by young people at a PSNI Land Rover monitoring the parade in the Creggan area of Derry yesterday.

The march, organised by the Derry 1916 Commemoration Committee, started in the Central Drive area.

There, a number of masked men in paramilitary-style dress formed a colour party carrying a tricolour and a host of republican flags. As the crowd progressed towards the City Cemetery, the police Land Rover came under attack.

I Yo Several masked youths started throwing petrol bombs and firing fireworks before the vehicle drove off in flames.

The parade culminated at the republican plot in the cemetery, where speeches were heard.

One speaker described the event as "respectful and dignified, paying homage to the revolutionary heroes of 1916 and all the republican dead".

Derry City and Strabane area commander, Chief Supt Nigel Goddard, said: "What we saw develop this afternoon in Creggan was incredibly disheartening.

"As the parade was unnotified, police were in attendance with a proportionate policing operation.