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Police fire plastic bullets in effort to contain race riots in Northern Ireland

PSNI receive reinforcements from Great Britain amid further condemnation of violence

Police have fired plastic bullets and received reinforcements from Great Britain in an effort to contain race riots in Northern Ireland.

The force has fired 17 of the projectiles since disturbances erupted on Tuesday, pitting officers against crowds that have thrown rocks, petrol bombs and other missiles.

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© Photograph: Andreas Becker/EPA

© Photograph: Andreas Becker/EPA

© Photograph: Andreas Becker/EPA

How the Belfast stabbing was the spark to a fuse loaded with grievance and provocation

Politicians, social media and far-right agitators convinced people that migrant-targeting violence would solve all their problems

Within minutes of the footage going online – of a Black man stabbing a white man – there was a sense of inexorability to what came next in Northern Ireland.

The grievances, the social media platforms, the politicians’ doublespeak and the international cheerleaders all provided a fuse. On Monday night came the spark.

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© Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images

Police use water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland

Force disperses crowd of 300 people who burned truck and reportedly planned to target hotel hosting migrants

Police have used water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland during a second night of anti-immigration protests.

It dispersed a crowd of about 300 people who burned a truck and threw bricks and petrol bombs close to the Sandyknowes roundabout near Newtownabbey, eight miles north of Belfast.

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© Photograph: PA

© Photograph: PA

© Photograph: PA

Elon Musk’s X not facing action from UK government over posts inciting violence in Belfast

Any official reprimand will come from regulator Ofcom, but not for at least two months

Elon Musk’s X will face no action to remove a mass of posts inciting violence in Northern Ireland for at least two months, despite widespread condemnation of the platform and its billionaire owner.

Concern over the role social media played in spreading disturbing images and fuelling anger continued to grow on Wednesday as police and community leaders urged calm.

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© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

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