POLITICIANS HAVE called on the heads of the North’s universities to take stern action against students who engaged in riotous behaviour in the Holylands area of south Belfast on St Patrick’s Day.
Nineteen people were arrested during the disturbances in the predominantly student Holylands, so-called because streets in the district of mostly small redbrick houses are named after areas in the Middle East such as Jerusalem, Cairo and Damascus.
Recent years have seen several similar incidents when students engaged in riotous and violent behaviour. This has led to running tensions with other residents, with some people leaving the district.
Two PSNI officers were injured during the disturbances, according to police. A number of vehicles were also damaged during confrontations between drunken students and police.
Virtually every one of the hundreds of Belfast City Council wheelie bins in the area were upturned and emptied during the day, according to the council street cleaning staff.
There were some claims that police overreacted, but this was rejected by PSNI superintendent Chris Noble. “The response was proportionate. It was fair, and residents were complimentary,” he said.
SDLP MP for South Belfast Dr Alasdair McDonnell said students found to have been involved in the trouble should be expelled from Queen’s University, the University of Ulster or from Belfast Metropolitan College.
“The two universities and Belfast Metropolitan College must take a very harsh line with people who behave like this,” he said.
The Assembly’s employment and learning committee, which discussed the disturbances yesterday, also called for action against the students. “This is a disgraceful display of anti-social behaviour that shows students in a very poor light,” said Sinn Féin chairwoman of the committee, Sue Ramsey.
“Although only a minority of students were involved in this sorry episode, the reputation of all students in the area will suffer. We support the Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey’s call for the university vice-chancellors to act,” she added. UUP Minister Sir Reg said the rioting was like something witnessed “in the worst days of the troubles”.
DUP deputy chairman of the committee Robin Newton said “no student involved should be left in any doubt that this committee will expect to see appropriate action from the authorities of the universities”. Alliance committee member Anna Lo said: “I have told members of the committee how local residents have been left traumatised and fearful.”
