The Belfast Riots.

Evening Star, Issue 7162, 16 March 1887, Page 3

The Belfast Riots.

The report of the Belfast Riots Commissioners, signed by all of them except Commander M'Hardy, Avho proposes to present a separate report, has been submitted to the Lord Lieutenant. The report vindicates the conduct of the Irish Constabulary, makes a number of recommendations, including the substitution of the baton and revolver for the rifle carried by the Constabulary, the appointment of Stipendaries to do the work of Petty Sessions, the reorganisation of the Belfast police force, povver to prohibit party processions, the assimilation of the law ip Belfast for obtaining compensation for malicious injury to person and property to that of the rest of Ireland, and it throAVS upon the Protestant molts the responsibility of the disturbances. On this point the Commissioners say:—‘'The evidence leads us to believe that tlie riots at a very early period, and certainly from and after June 8, assumed to a great extent the aspect of a determined attack by the Protestant mobs upon the police and upon the places of business of Catholics residing in Protestant quarters of tlie toAvn. But in the instance of Hassan’s public-house, and in several other? to Avhich we have drawn attention, the attack Avas undoubtedly made by Protestant mobs against the property of Catholic traders. Of course, there were retaliation and faults on botli sides, but, SO far as we can judge from the evidence, tAveuty - eight public - houses owned hy Catholics were assailed and looted during the course of the riots, and only one or lavo public-houses oAvned by Protestants. This state of affairs may to a considerable extent be accounted for by the fact that the vast majority of the ptihlio-houge? in Belfast are owned hy Catholics, and when onoe rioting begins those engaged in the pursuit are but too prone to attack any house in which intoxicating drinks can be procured. But, at the same time, these incidents seem to show, and we have arrived at the opinion, that for a considerable period, at all qvents from June 8 to September 10, the principal actors In the rioting were what is known as the Protestant mob. Wo are of opinion that the comparative good conduct of Catholics must be largely attributed to the zealous exertions of the Catholic bishops and clergy, who during the riots labored persistently in the cause of peace, and Avho exercised over their people a great and most beneficial influence. . . * Unques tionably a main cause of the prolonged continuance of the disturbances was the wild and unreasoning hostility exhibited by a large section of the Protestants of Belfast against the police. ' Referring to the action of the Royal Irish Constabulary during tho riots, viewing that action as a whole, the Commissioners are of opinion “ that , they ’■were subject to ahnofit unparalleled

trials, that they passed well through the ordeal, that nothing occurred during the riots to impair the high reputation which the Royal Irish Constabulary has at all times borne for courage, discipline, and humanity, and that the charge made against the police of having acted with cruelty towards Protestants from sectarian motives was proved to be without a shadow of foundation. The police acted towards both sides Avith the strictest impartiality ; and if the crowds on one side suffered more severely than the other it Avas owing to the folly of their own persistence in attacks upon the police. While, however, we are of opinion that the conduct of the police was as a whole excellent, wo cannot say that their action during the riots was as efficient as it might have been. _ The county police were rendered comparatively useless by the absence of local knowledge, which often rendered them powerless against the tactics of a local mob, remarkable for cunning as well as persistency in their operations.”