To mark the continued protests against the Anglo-Irish
Agreement, the two main Unionist parties remained joined together in their
efforts and called for a mass rally at Belfast's City Hall, one year after
their famous rally in the days after the Agreement was signed. Police warnings
had been issued that the event would be hijacked by paramilitary organisations.
Despite reassurances from the Unionist leaders, James Molyneaux and Ian
Paisley, that such people would have no platform at the event, the loyalist UDA
did indeed take hold of the proceedings at the beginning of the rally. Behind
the scenes talks led to them standing down but as Molyneaux and Paisley
addressed the crowd, gangs began attacking and looting nearby shops before
becoming embroiled in a violent battle with RUC officers who began to fire
plastic bullets.
This report, by Ivan Little for Good Evening Ulster, contains segments of Molyneaux and Paisley's speeches and interviews both of them afterwards, with Molyneaux saying that the majority reacted against and condemned the violence, while Paisley claims it was caused by a government dirty tricks operation.