Sister of killed Northern Ireland journalist Lyra McKee pleads with rioters to end violence

Lyra McKee was shot dead by the New IRA at a riot in the Creggan area of Londonderry in April 2019, called on the mobs to withdraw

The sister of killed Northern Ireland journalist Lyra McKee called on rioters last night to end the violence in west Belfast before someone dies.

Nichola McKee Corner spoke after water cannon were used for the first time in six years.

They were deployed on Thursday after police were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks and rocks in a seventh night of violence.

Nineteen police were injured on top of the 55 hurt over the previous six nights as crowds rioted on both sides of the gates that separate nationalist and loyalist areas.

It was also revealed that young people were being lured into joining the rioting through social media.

Miss McKee Corner, whose 29-year-old sister was shot dead by the New IRA at a riot in the Creggan area of Londonderry in April 2019, called on the mobs to withdraw.

She said: ‘I would encourage anyone involved in riots and other disturbances to stop and engage in conversations with community leaders and politicians before it is too late.

‘Destroying property and attacking people does not do anything to further a cause of any kind. In fact it does the opposite.’ 

Yesterday, details were revealed of how Facebook and other social media platforms have been used by agitators.

Loyalist paramilitaries – suspected of smuggling drugs – are allegedly behind some of the violence, which has also broken out in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Ballymena and Londonderry

Postings list dates and times of protests where hundreds of rioters – some as young as 12 – have gathered to attack each other and police. Hours before some of the worst violence on Wednesday, a Facebook post urged people to ‘join the fight and keep us British’.

That night, a bus was set alight and a burning car was driven at the ‘peace walls’ dividing loyalist and nationalist areas.

Inflammatory online posts include phrases such as ‘no surrender’ and ‘f*** the PSNI’ – Police Service of Northern Ireland. 

Loyalist paramilitaries – suspected of smuggling drugs – are allegedly behind some of the violence, which has also broken out in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Ballymena and Londonderry.

Ulster Unionist Doug Beattie, a Northern Ireland assembly member, said: ‘The South East Antrim Ulster Defence Association is nothing more than a criminal drug gang who put kids on the streets to cause violence on their behalf.’ 

Loyalist parades planned for the coming days are thought to have been cancelled following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Inflammatory online posts include phrases such as ‘no surrender’ and ‘f*** the PSNI’ – Police Service of Northern Ireland. Objects are seen being thrown towards PSNI officers