A cyclist has been struck by a car during weekend youth disturbances in the Broadway area of Belfast.
Two groups of youths gathered at the Broadway roundabout interface between west and south Belfast at around 8.25pm on Sunday in the latest incident in the area.
In July, rioting erupted in the Broadway and Village areas across two nights as youths threw petrol bombs and bottles at police.
More: ‘Urgent’ need for new Good Relations strategy after Broadway disorder, Alliance MLA says
A video circulating online appeared to show an individual cycling in the area being hit by a car on Sunday night.
🚨 COMMUNITY NOTICE 🚨 Once again last night we have had more trouble with youth engaging in pointless rioting with one youth getting hit by a car while he was on his bike at the Broadway roundabout over the past year we have been on the ground talking and engaging with concerned residents and other community workers also highlighting this issue in the local news papers about crowds of youth gathering at Broadway/Balls of the Falls from both sides the past year we have highlighted and called on all to come together we need real leadership on the ground to stop this madness before someone is killed. We call on all parents to please don’t let your children get sucked into this situation and check to see where they are and encourage them to stay away this is not a joke or even fun someone could lose their life or be seriously hurt. The BRC even though we are on a break for a while but this situation is out of hand and can't be ignored. We will be monitoring and engaging with some locals,youth and our youth workers and we will be in direct contact with community workers on both sides to try to come up with some sort of plan to Defuse tensions No one wants these types of actions nor do we as a community need this at our door steps we will be working on a community meeting on this issue also to bring everyone together. Our door is open for anyone to work alongside us and build a stronger community together for all If you would like to help give us a mail 📨 or email us at BRCbeechmount@outlook.com Lets work together to end this and bring our youth together for the betterment of their future we all have more in common that we think time for a change in their mind set 👌 #community #communitysupport #communitydevelopment #networking #helpinghands
Posted by Beechmount Residents Collective. on Sunday 29 December 2024
SDLP councillor Paul Doherty was on the ground at Sunday’s gathering and said that he witnessed youths throwing “bricks and bottles at each other”.
“People are fed up with this unacceptable behaviour and want it to end. It has been going on for too long now,” he said.
Seán Doherty from the Beechmount Residents Collective (BRC) group said that youths gathering in the area has been an almost weekly occurrence since the summer but had died down in the lead-up to Christmas.
“No one wants all this. We’ve moved on” he told The Irish News.
“It’s time for community groups and representatives to come together ASAP or else we’re going to see a young kid dead here. That’s what’s going to happen.”
Been trying to talk down young people from engaging in throwing bricks and bottles at Broadway Roundabout this evening....
Posted by Paul Doherty on Sunday 29 December 2024
“Last night could have turned out worse.”
Mr Doherty said up to 40 youths gathered in the area on Sunday night, roughly aged between 12 and 16.
He said the understood that the gatherings were often organised on social media platforms and believed they had more to do with a “rivalry” between areas and boredom than rooted in sectarianism.
Some of those involved are also coming from further afield to attend.
“They’re travelling far and wide to come and do these pointless riots,” he said.
While he said BRC does their best to engage, he added that there weren’t enough resources in the mid-Falls area to properly tackle the problem.
Police said they attended the incident on Sunday and that youths dispersed upon their arrival.
South Belfast Neighbourhood Inspector Róisín Brown said: “Officers remained in the area and provided a visible policing presence throughout the rest of the evening, as well as liaising with key stakeholders.”
“We understand the concerns of local residents and the wider public regarding ongoing anti-social behaviour in the Broadway area.
“Our officers are committed to working alongside partner agencies, local representatives and the community to address the problem.
“However, I also urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about their behaviour. Some young people are behaving recklessly, dangerously and in some instances criminally around Broadway roundabout with little regard for other members of the public and local residents.
“I am concerned that someone is going to get seriously hurt.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed or has footage of the incident involving the cyclist to contact them.
