Loyalist paramilitaries were present during Belfast rioting, says chief constable

The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has told the Policing Board that members of loyalist paramilitaries were present during racist rioting last month.

Violence broke out in the streets of Belfast and other areas across Northern Ireland after footage of a violent knife attack was shared on social media.

Jon Boutcher said some of those loyalist paramilitaries were involved in directing the violence at a number of locations, including in east Belfast.

He said "the picture is inconsistent with regard to the paramilitaries".

The violent attack in North Belfast, over which a man has appeared in court,spurred protests across Northern Ireland, many of which passed peacefully but, elsewhere, hundreds of masked people took to the streets and violence followed.

The disorder was restricted to pockets of Belfast and other towns, but across Northern Ireland schools and shops closed early, and public transport shut down.

Boutcher said the PSNI had information that some paramilitary members had dissuaded their members from getting involved in the disorder while others had not.

Boutcher said the disorder had been driven online by individuals from both loyalist and republican communities.

People had travelled from across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in order to take part in the protests, according to the PSNI.

Shortly after the disorder the PSNI said there was "no evidence" it was coordinated by loyalist paramilitaries.

Many of those involved in the protests were masked and social media accounts are largely anonymous.

"That momentum, that drive, that toxicity is what's bringing people out onto the streets. It needs to stop," PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said at the time.

On Thursday Boutcher also addressed the cost of policing June's disorder.

He told the board that the estimated cost of policing the riots and protests was £5.4m.

He thanked the Westminster government for their support of £4m but said that the PSNI would have to cover the shortfall from its budget.

To date police have made 35 arrests with 27 of those charged to court, seven released on bail, and one person reported to the Public Prosecution Service.

They have released pictures of people they want to speak to in relation to the disorder.