Republican Sinn Féin has denied any CIRA members were involved in the rioting that raged at Broadway roundabout on the Eleventh Night.

Any dissidents spotted during the serious disturbances in the area were from a splinter group recently dismissed by the CIRA, says Geraldine Taylor, Vice President of Republican Sinn Féin.

The Andersonstown News recently reported on a split in the CIRA camp in both Limerick and Belfast and how a group, ousted by the CIRA, had planned to seize the party’s newspaper and West Belfast office. This, says Geraldine, could account for the claims of CIRA involvement in the disturbances – from which she has distanced Republican Sinn Féin.

“Anyone who was down there is not in the Continuity IRA,” she said firmly. “We have said before that some members have been dismissed and that is maybe why people are saying this. But this rioting has nothing to with the republican movement, not Republican Sinn Féin and not the Continuity IRA.” 

Two weeks ago the Andersonstown News revealed that the CIRA in West Belfast were extorting money from drug dealers, while carrying out robberies and shootings. It’s this group who are being blamed for orchestrating young people to riot at Broadway on the Eleventh Night.

Trouble flared at the flashpoint that divides the loyalist Village from the nationalist St James’ area on Sunday night as local youths clashed with the police

Bricks, bottles and petrol bombs were among the missiles hurled at the police during the rioting which raged for several hours as community workers tried desperately to restore order to the area.

No loyalists were involved in the disturbances, which, according to local sources, were orchestrated by dissidents.

The rioting, involving about 100 anti-socials, including the St James’ IBA gang, started on the Donegall Road before moving on to Broadway. Members of republican dissident groups were seen handing over money to youths so they could buy petrol, while known hoods brought their associates from districts across West Belfast to hijack cars.

Death-drivers were spotted hijacking cars in Iveagh and Thames Court while they attempted and failed to steal a van from Nansen Street.

In one case, a diabetic woman had to be protected by residents as she tried to rescue her insulin from a car after being beaten by IBA hoods.

The Falls Community Council office on the Falls Road was also targeted by some of the rioters as they dispersed in the early hours of Monday morning.

Windows were broken at the offices of the Community Drug Programme which looks after the needs of vulnerable young people.

“The people from St James’ and Broadway who in the past have been out protecting their homes from loyalists were out protecting their property until five in the morning from nationalist youths,” said one angry community worker.

Sinn Féin Councillor Tom Hartley agreed that known thugs were behind the rioting.

“I got reports that some of the people involved in anti-community activity at the back of Beechmount all year round were at Broadway on Sunday night,” he said.  “These people are known to be involved in anti-social behaviour throughout the year, so it is no surprise that they were involved in these outrageous activities at Broadway. The things that brought them to Broadway are the same things that motivate them the rest of the year: drink, drug abuse and vandalism.”

The Continuity IRA released a statement following our story about the West Belfast faction being involved in drug dealing, robberies and extortion. 

Using a recognised codeword the statement read: “Information has reached the leadership of the extortion of money in the name of the Continuity IRA. This has taken place for the purposes of criminality and was in no way authorised. 

“Drug dealers and others have been the target of such activity. We want those concerned  to desist from using the name of the Continuity IRA which is in no way associated with criminality.”