I feel bad for the police in a way. Seeing Sinn Fein's 'policing and justice' spokesman Gerry Kelly on the TV having a dig earlier just underlines that no matter what the police do they can't win. Kelly went on as if the police were happy to let the loyalists riot and that this was obvious because the police weren't tough enough.

3 people out of the rioters were arrested yesterday. None were arrested after republican "protestors" rioted at Ardoyne on the 12th July. While no water cannons or plastic bullets were used yesterday, the police on the ground had asked for and received authorisation to use them if the trouble didn't calm down. In contrast, at Ardoyne police had blast-bombs as well as petrol bombs thrown at them, yet when they deployed the water cannon Gerry's party accused the police of being heavy-handed! You couldn't make this shit up!

Follow up:

Inaction?
There were reports of 50-100 rioters out yesterday and only 3 arrests. While I'd like to see more of the scumbags locked up for a while, it ill befits Sinn Fein to criticise the police for inaction when they never support the police when they do act. In fact the recent spate of 'inaction' is due, more than anything else, to Sinn Fein's constant whinging about police heavy-handedness, something loyalist MOPEs have now picked up on.

"Is it inaction to arrest people for serious terrorist crimes, to conduct searches, which have recovered guns and evidence?"
Chief Superintendent Mike Little

Heavy-Handed?
Loyalist rioters have picked this little gem of a word up from republican MOPEs, but does it really cut any ice?

"Is it heavy-handed to place our officers in the frontline, to work to protect life and property yet also work to ensure our safety and the safety of others? Our policing operations and responses must be proportionate, appropriate and graduated."
Chief Superintendent Mike Little

I get the impression the rioters in north Belfast wouldn't know the meaning of the word heavy handed. In Louisiana, even after the flooding, when the police come under fire, they shoot back. In north Belfast, when the police have petrol bombs hurled at them, they beg "community representatives" to calm things down or they break out big water pistols. Heavy handed my arse.

Just Can't Win?

"It is becoming tiresome that communities accuse us of either inaction or heavy-handedness depending on the nature and location of the policing operations."
Chief Superintendent Mike Little

A bit wordy for some of the less educated politicos we have to understand Mike, but nevertheless spot on. While my personal view is that the police should be doing more, I can't help but wonder that they might be doing just fine. I mean if one side are MOPEing about 'heavy handedness' and the other bitching about 'inaction' maybe they've got the perfect balance, especially since the two sides seem to swap opinions based on which community is causing the trouble that day!