Reinforcements in Belfast

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32524, 6 February 1971, Page 15

Reinforcements in Belfast

(N.Z P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Feb. 5.

Six hundred British troops including the Duke of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth, arrived in Belfast today to strengthen security forces facing mounting violence in ' Belfast’s streets.

This addition to the 6200 soldiers already in Belfast landed from England early today after another night of rioting and bomb attacks in Roman Catholic areas of the city. The Duke, who is commanding a squadron of armoured cars, is expected to be on military riot duty in the back streets of Belfast within the next 24 hours.

Security forces are concerned the Duke may become a target for those who see this British-ruled province’s link with the Crown as the root of their grievances.

When he arrived at the Belfast docks today he was escorted to his billet by an armed guard. Throughout the night troops and police faced mobs of rioters, attacking them with petrol and acid bombs.

Twenty-seven people were arrested, including an eight-year-old boy. Just after midnight a police Landrover was attacked by gunmen and in another incident a passing

car machine-gunned shop windows above the heads of a police patrol.

The increased violence during the past week, which has included organised attacks by gangs of republican extremists, has prompted the Northern Ireland Prime Minister (Major James ChichesterClark) to declare that the country was now witnessing a trial of strength between subversives and the security forces. “The police and Army will defeat this ugly thing which is holding the community to ransom,” he told Parliament yesteniay.