Armed loyalists hold Shankhill 'show of strength'

Loyalist paramilitaries staged a show of strength at a bonfire off the Shankhill Road last night and issued a chilling message threatening violent retaliation for any republican attacks.

Masked loyalist gunmen fire their weapons in a show of strength in front of a sign for the Ulster Defense Association in the Shankill Road Photograph: Reuters

One of the group of seven read out a statement from the UDA/UFF Protestant paramiltary groups: "We can not stand back and do nothing as Protestant families living in interface areas are being murdered."

"If these attacks continue we then we will have no other course of action but to initiate a measured response," he added as a crowd of supporters cheered.

"We want to bring peace to our province, but we can not do it alone. Republicans must play their part too. We are prepared for peace, but republicans are not," he said.

The hooded gang fired a volley of shots from pistols and automatic weapons into the sky to loud applause. They then disappeared into the crowd.