EASTER MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2002: In the early hours of Monday, loyalists using baseball bats and other weapons went into the nationalist Glandore Ave and wrecked up to 12 cars belonging to nationalists in the area.
Around 7.30am a sectarian Orange march was forced down to past the Ardoyne shops.
There was a bomb scare near to the Woodvale Road which was later said to have been a hoax. Nationalists turned out to protest against the sectarian march but were forced into one part of the road by riot clad RUC men and Land Rovers. The nationalists were also policed by the Provisionals and the Provisionals Brit Stormont Minister for Policing Gerry Kelly.
Later in the morning fighting broke out between loyalists who attacked the nationalist Limestone Road and Newington Street and nationalists who came out in defence of their homes and community. The fighting went on for some time. Brit/RUC occupation forces moved into the area and forced nationalists back into side streets before blocking the Limestone Road.
Provisional City Hally councillor for Castleward, Danny Lavery, complained that the trouble had started after the RUC left the Limestone Road unprotected.
Mr Lavery and his followers would do well to remember that the RUC are a loyalist force and are part of the problem and, far from protecting the nationalist community, the RUC have been to the fore attacking it, as a number of generations of nationalist victims are witness to.
The Provisionals trip on the road to no return is clearly shown by such statements.
Also this morning the States misinformation policy was clearly shown when news reports carried a report about an attack on a young man who was stabbed after getting off a bus in north Belfast.
The reports claimed that a gang, one of which was wearing a Glasgow Celtic top, attacked the man at Brougham Street, close to the nationalist New Lodge area, pointing the finger of blame towards the New Lodge area.
The truth of what did happen became clear as the morning went on.
At around 7.30am a loyalist gang who made it look as if they were nationalists waved down a car being driven by a nationalist woman in Brougham Street. When the woman driver, who was alone, stopped the loyalists dragged her from the car.
The terrified woman managed to escape from the gang by running off. Her car was then driven to the loyalist end of North Queen Street.
Later on that morning the same loyalist gang, again with one still wearing a Glasgow Celtic top, attacked a youth of 17 who had just got off a bus in Brougham Street.
The youth managed to escape but fell and was beaten and stabbed a number of times by the gang who ran off into the loyalist Tigers Bay. The youth, who was a Protestant mistaken for a Catholic, was treated in hospital for stab wounds to his head.
The woman who was dragged out of her car was Linda Maguire from the Ardoyne area. She said later she thought she was going to be killed.
First reports of these attacks by State news outlets made it seem as if nationalists had carried out these sectarian attacks; another case of State misinformation, to confuse and mislead.
Fighting went on through the day on and off but by afternoon became heavy once more in the Limestone Road, Newingtown Street area. Petrol bombs, bricks and bottles were used as nationalists confronted loyalists who were attacking the area.
Loyalists once more used pipe bombs and at one stage a burning lorry was used to block the Limestone Road. A number of women in the area were beaten by the RUC.
Fighting also broke out as night fell at the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops as nationalists confronted loyalists attacking into the top of Brompton Park. A running battle took place with loyalists being pushed back into the Woodvale Road and Twaddle Ave.
As the fighting subsided here loyalists attacked nationalist homes at the top of Alliance Ave and Ardoyne Road. Again nationalists confronted the loyalists, driving them back to the Glenbryn area.
Tension was high as crowds of people stood around streets waiting for the next loyalist attack.
Brit occupation forces flooded into the area.
Since the attacks started against the nationalist community Brit occupation forces and loyalist have attacked nationalists with plastic bullets, batons, petrol, pipe and blast bombs, as well as fireworks, paint bombs, bricks, bottles, stone and a number of other weapons.
In response nationalists have defended themselves with petrol bombs, bottles, bricks and stones.
Also at least one Republican action took place at the Limestone Road when four projectiles were fired at Brit/RUC occupation forces; the only one of it's kind in defence of the nationalist community.
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2002: Petrol bombs and hundreds of bottles were uncovered in a number of areas in north Belfast, the RUC claimed on Tuesday afternoon.
Fighting broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the Limestone Road area as nationalists once more confronted loyalists attacking their community.
The fighting, which went on for well over an hour, was very heavy for a time with petrol bombs being thrown.
Fighting once again broke out as loyalists attacked nationalist Park End, Limestone Road and Newington Streets.
Nationalist street fighters, who came out to defend their community, also had to face Brit occupation forces who attacked into nationalist street with nationalists putting up a brave fight against riot-clad Brit/RUC occupation forces, armoured cars and Land Rovers.
Fighting also broke out on North Queen Street, which was also very heavy. Again loyalist mobs tried to attack nationalist homes at the New Lodge.
Fighting went on most of the night and a number of nationalists were beaten by Occupation forces. Petrol bombs and other weapons were used by the loyalists; nationalists returned the same in kind.
Fighting went on through the night, with nationalists facing down a mass force of Brit/loyalism. Tension in north Belfast was at a very high level.
Scores of nationalists have suffered injury from plastic bullets, batons, petrol bombs and other weapons; but nationalists, when allowed to, have put up a good defence of their people and community.
We say 'when allowed to' because Provisional policemen try to stop any resistance to the forces of the State. Why is clear, as the Ministers of the Crown, they can't let the situation get out of hand.
Within nationalist areas they rule by fear. People like Gerry Kelly have been witnessed using phones to call the RUC as that Orange sectarian force has been attacking nationalists.
We have witnessed RUC Land Rovers leave lines of other lines of Land Rovers in the heat of fighting to drive up the Crumlin Road a few hundred yards.
We have witnessed RUC men calmly get out of the Land Rover, Gerry Kelly and others talking with the RUC and within 30 minutes of such meetings, nationalist resistance to Crown Force aggression is stopped by Provisional police.
We should not forget one Tuesday night in the summer when Provisional gunmen ordered the nationalist people off the streets of Ardoyne. Brit government ministers such as Gerry Kelly know that nationalist resistance could very easily put the Stormont setup into trouble.
They have used force to control the situation as part of the Brit system; all to keep big-paying Brit jobs safe.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2002: Wednesday night. Once again confused loyalism attacked the very occupation forces they claim are their Crown Forces.
Around 7.30pm on Wednesday night hundreds of loyalists gathered in Tigers Bay.
Nationalists gathered on the Limestone Road and Newington St to make ready a defence of their community.
But instead the true blue loyalists of Tigers Bay attacked Crown occupation forces, using over 24 pipe and blast bombs and gunfire from loyalist gunmen. Scores of petrol bombs were also used.
Unlike the recent forays into national areas when the RUC and Brits beat up many nationalists on the Limestone Road, Newington Street and the New Lodge, the RUC said it was too dangerous to move in on loyalist rioters, once again showing the loyalist force for what it is.
The rioting subsided a number of hours after it started.
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2002: Loyalists used the Easter holidays to erect banners and flags along the Ardoyne, many of which related to the UFF.
With the children of Holy Cross starting back to school on Monday after the Easter holidays there were fears that the loyalists were ready to restart their unjust protest against the Holy Cross children and their parents, tension in the area was high.
On Thursday afternoon when the loyalists finished putting up flags they then gathered at Glenbryn singing and shouting sectarian orange/Orange hate. The crowd then armed themselves; a number of loyalists in a car drove into the grounds of the Everton Complex and started to attack the nationalist houses on the Ardoyne Road. As the nationalist people came out in defence of their homes and went after the loyalists, who drove off towards Glenbryn, a loyalist gunman fired a number of shots towards the nationalists; with only luck no-one was hurt.
The crowds of loyalists, at this point outnumbering the nationalists by many, came down the Ardoyne Road. Just beforehand an RUC Land Rover sitting at Glenbryn drove away.
Fighting took place. It seemed the loyalists might be getting the upperhand on the small group of nationalist defenders. But as more people went to the area the loyalists re-treated back into Glenbryn with nationalists after them.
At this stage Brit/RUC occupation forces moved in in force and set about attacking the nationalist defenders, pushing them back down Ardoyne Road using armoured cars and Land Rovers.
This went on for some time before it subsided. Tension stayed high and crowds stayed on the streets. Trouble also broke out on the Whitewell Road after loyalists attacked nationalist houses near the Whitewell.
FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2002: Loyalists from Glenbryn came down the Ardoyne Road and attacked the nationalist houses on the Ardoyne Road. As this was going on a number of houses were attacked by loyalists from the Alliance Road. They targeted the back of houses in the Alliance Ave, causing damage to a number of homes and a car. Also a number of what was believed to be pipe bombs were thrown. The Brits claimed afterwards that all were hoaxes.
The fighting went on for over an hour.
Brit occupation forces moved into the area and flooded into streets around Ardoyne, blocking off the Ardoyne Road and beating a number of nationalist women.
As fighting subsided here it started up again at the Ardoyne shops around 4.00pm with loyalist rioters being confronted by nationalist street fighters, pushing loyalists back to the Woodvale Road and Twaddle Ave.
Again Brit occupation forces flooded into the area, blocking off the Crumlin Road and using Land Rovers to push nationalists back into Ardoyne.
As nationalist youths resisted the Crown Forces, Provisionals moved in between the youths and RUC Land Rovers, putting a stop to the nationalist resistance, not for the first time. Resistance against Brit rule in Ireland is just not fashionable with the Provisionals whose Brit Stormont Ministers were calling the shots.
A nationalist family living on the Whitewell were lucky to escape with their lives when a number of pipe bombs were thrown through the window of their home.
The loyalist bombers then ran off towards the loyalist Greymount area. Two bombs were thrown into the house where three children lived. Extensive damage was caused.
SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2002: Derryman Ciarán McLaughlin, a POW in Maghaberry prison, Co Antrim serving 18 years, was struck on the back of the head with an electric iron by a prominent loyalist prisoner. He required four stitches.
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2002: Two separate devices in the Granville area and Scotch Street areas of Dungannon, Co Tyrone respectively, were declared hoaxes after examination by a British army bomb squad.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2002: Attacks were carried out on two police barracks in Co Down, at Ardstraw and Downpatrick, causing some damage to the outside of both stations.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2002: Trouble broke out at Whitewell after loyalists from the loyalist White City attacked a nationalist man. As nationalists confronted the loyalists fighting took place and one of the loyalists was stabbed.
Earlier reports that nationalists had attacked an stabbed a Protestant who went to the aid of a woman were dismissed. The confrontation started after the loyalists attacked a nationalist man and other nationalists went to the mans aid.
When Brit/RUC occupation forces came on the scene, as usual they flooded into the nationalist Whitewell.
At this stage nationalists once more defended their community and a number of petrol bombs were used against Crown Forces.
The trouble subsided after a time. Tension stayed high.
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2002: Fears grew that loyalists were ready to restart their unjust sectarian protest against the children of Holy Cross primary school and their parents.
Each day since the Easter holidays loyalists gathered at the Ardoyne Road carrying loyalists flags. Tension was high in the area.
Monday morning. The children with their parents walked up the Ardoyne Road and had to walk through groups of loyalists along the road, some of whom had flags. The same was repeated as the parents returned down the road again and also, in the afternoon as the parents went up to the school to pick the children up and return back down the road.
Monday night. Around 8.45pm. Nationalist youths on the Old Park Road ambushed an unmarked RUC car driving towards Old Park Road barracks.
Using bricks and stones the youths caused damage to the car, which was carrying two RUC men. Breaking a window, the youths made good their escape as an RUC Land Rover came on the scene.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2002: Again on Tuesday morning the children of Holy Cross and their parents had to walk through groups of loyalists along the Ardoyne Road.
The same was repeated as the parents returned back down the Ardoyne Road.
Tuesday afternoon. The loyalist crowd had grown and again some loyalists were waving sectarian flags and a number of remarks were made by the loyalists as the parents and children returned back down the Ardoyne Road after school.
Tuesday night. Fighting broke out at Alliance Ave and Ardoyne around 7.30pm after loyalists attacked nationalist houses, using bricks, stones and bottles and also a number of other weapons.
As nationalists came onto the streets to confront them, the loyalists were pushed back up toward Glenbryn.
Brit Crown occupation forces flooded into the area and pushed the nationalists back. They then blocked off the Ardoyne Road at Alliance Ave with armoured cars and Land Rovers.
A woman living on the Alliance Ave and whose home has been under constant attack from loyalists in Alliance Road confront the RUC who told the woman they could do nothing about the loyalist attacks and added, that if the woman could find somewhere else to live over July, then she would be better to do so. There was no surprise about this loyalist forces attitude.
Also on Tuesday afternoon on the Limestone Road loyalist went into a nationalist-owned shop and threatened a nationalist woman who works there with a knife before leaving the shop. This took place in full view of Brits posted in the area.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2002: Wednesday was witness to yet more trouble in a number of areas. Although minor to that seen in the last number of days, nationalist homes came under attack at Alliance Ave from the loyalist Alliance Road area, with loyalists taking to the roofs of houses to throw down at nationalist homes. There was also trouble at Whitewell where loyalists used at least one pipe bomb to attack the home of a nationalist family.
A bomb exploded at the perimeter of the Garnerville training college, the main training center for the RUC/PSNI, blowing two corrugated iron gates off their hinges. More than 100 recruits were evacuated.
Republican prisoners in Maghaberry prison, Co Antrim received death threats from a loyalist death squad.
A nationalist taxi-driver, Barney McDonald (52) from Dungannon, Co Tyrone was shot dead as he arrived to pick up a fare at a snooker hall in Donaghmore, near Dungannon. His family claimed that he had been killed by the Provisionals' military wing.
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2002: At around 7.15pm on Thursday night loyalists attacked nationalist homes at Alliance Ave. Bricks and bottles were used and then a number of bombs, pipe and blast bombs. One of these hit the oil tank of a Protestant man who lives alongside nationalists in Alliance Ave. The man, who is old, has never had any problems from the nationalist people but has suffered constant attack from loyalists. With the oil tank on fire and oil running from it and in danger of setting a number of homes on fire, without asking or caring who was Catholic or Protestant, nationalist youths moved people out of their homes that were in danger. The Protestant man was one of those led to safety. The nationalists then set about fighting the fire, still in danger of becoming targets for loyalist gunmen or bombers. They fought the fire until the Fire Brigade came to the scene.
Once again, Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area. Crowds of nationalists stayed on the streets as loyalist crowds tried to target nationalists from behind Crown Forces lines. Tension was high.
The Whitewell area also saw yet more trouble with nationalist homes coming under attack from loyalists.
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2002: Friday was witness to minor trouble at Alliance Ave with nationalist houses coming under attack from loyalists throwing from Alliance Road.
Bricks, stones and bottles were used in the attack, causing some damage.
Also earlier in the day, loyalists erected yet more flags along the Ardoyne Road.
Nationalists were bemused to see neo-nazi loyalists erect a number of Israeli flags along the Ardoyne Road. Surely this act shows clearly the mind set of the sectarian, loyalist bigot!
In a statement the Continuity IRA said it had planted the bomb outside the RUC/PSNi training college in Belfast.
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2002: Saturday saw some stone throwing in a number of areas but not on the level seen in recent days.
The SDLP in Derry pulled out of talks with the Provisionals over a policing row in Derry City Council following a number of incidents at the homes of SDLP members in the city over three last three weeks where hoax devices have been left.
SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2002: Sunday morning. In the small hours of Sunday morning around 4am nationalists confronted crowds of loyalists at Carlisle Circus. Fighting went on for a time. Brit occupation forces moved into the area and blocked the Crumlin Road/Antrim Road at Carlisle Circus, pushing nationalists back towards the New Lodge area.
It was at this stage that a member of the occupation forces was hit by a stolen BMW causing a number of injuries to the RUC man, for whom there'll be no tears from nationalists who have suffered dearly at the hands of this loyalists force.
Sunday afternoon. At around 4.25pm loyalist gunmen opened fire from the Glenbryn area into the nationalist part of Ardoyne Road.
At this stage another sectarian action took place as crowds of loyalists throwing from the loyalist Alliance Road targeted the nationalist homes on Alliance Ave, using bricks, stones, bottles and fireworks.
Once again nationalists took to the streets in defence of their community.
It soon became clear that the loyalist action was a planned one. As nationalists went to the Ardoyne Road/Alliance Ave part of Ardoyne at the other end of Ardoyne at Brompton Park crowds of loyalists tried to force their way into Ardoyne at the top of Brompton Park coming across the Crumlin Road from Twaddle Ave and Woodvale Road. At this stage only a few nationalists were at Brompton Park but managed to force the loyalists back until more nationalists arrived to help out.
The loyalists now retreated back to Twaddle Ave and Woodvale Road. The fighting was heavy, hand to hand. Loyalists threw a number of pipe and blast bombs. Petrol bombs were also used.
Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area, with no surprise, the Brit Crown Forces facing down the nationalist street fighters as loyalists continued their attack from behind Crown Forces lines.
Nationalists were now also being targeted by plastic bullets, with a number of the deadly weapons being fired into Brompton Park with a number of children being hit. Riot clad Brits moved in and batoned people at the corner of Brompton Park beside the bookies.
Fighting went on for some time. Brit occupation forces blocked off the Crumlin Road and Ardoyne Road at the top of Alliance Ave. Tension was high in the area with people standing around street corners waiting for the next loyalist attack on their community.
It has also become clear that two children were wounded by plastic bullets in Brompton Park.
As the fighting subsided in Ardoyne, loyalists once again attacked nationalist homes at Whitewell with petrol bombs, bringing crowds of nationalists onto the streets in defence of their community. Running battles took place with the fighting at close hand as nationalist street fighters pushed the loyalist attackers back into White City. Bricks, stones, bottles and petrol bombs and other weapons were used in the fighting which went on for some time.
Once again Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded into the area, blocking a number of roads in the area.
Tension stayed high as those living on the interface settled down for yet another sleepless night.
MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2002: At around 4.15pm on Monday afternoon, trouble once more broke out on the Ardoyne Road after a crowd of loyalists attacked nationalist children.
As word of the attack got around nationalists took to the streets and confronted the loyalists, driving them back towards Glenbryn. The fighting was once again at close hand, with anything available being used as weapons.
Again Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area and armoured cars and Land Rovers were used to block Ardoyne Road.
The Crown Forces once again faced down nationalists. Tension filled the air as groups of people stood about waiting for the next loyalist attack.
Around 7.30pm. Fighting once more broke out at Ardoyne Road as nationalists once again confronted loyalists attacking the nationalist homes at Ardoyne Road and the top of Alliance Ave. As Brit occupation forces moved in in force, fighting subsided.
Loyalist crowds came out of Twaddle Ave and Woodvale Road, crossing the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops, again trying to break into the top of Brompton Park. Nationalist street fighters moved to confront the loyalist rioters and heavy fighting took place with hundreds of people on the Crumlin Road.
Fighting in places was hand to hand. The loyalists once again retreated back to Twaddle Ave.
Once again Brit/RUC occupation forces moved into the area and pushed the nationalist street fighters back towards the Ardoyne shops and into Brompton Park.
Nationalists set about defending themselves against Brit/RUC aggression. The street fighters gave a good account of themselves. Members of the Provisionals soon put an end to nationalist resistance and crowds of people were left to stand and watch the riot clad Crown Forces and behind them loyalist crowds with the Provo police men doing the RUCs job very well.
On Monday night loyalist crowds also gathered at Carlisle Circus but there were no reports of trouble.
TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2002: Groups of loyalists throwing over roofs of nationalist houses at Alliance Ave from the loyalist Alliance Road caused damage to a number of cars parked in Alliance Ave, breaking a window in one. In the attack that took place around tea time bricks, stones, bottles and fireworks were used.
The attack went on for some time.
There were no further reports of trouble.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2002: Wednesday was witness to minor trouble in a number of interface areas, mostly stone throwing.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2002: Thursday morning at around 10.30am. Loyalists carried out an attack on the home of an ex-Provisional City Hall councillor, Mick Conion. A nail-bomb was used in the attack on the Cavehill Road close to Antrim Road RUC barracks. The bomb hit a window before falling into the garden. Mr Conion was the only one at home at the time. Primary school children from both a Catholic and Protestant school who were only yards away in the Waterworks Sports Centre were said to be very up-set.
Thursday afternoon. Parents and children walking down from Holy Cross Girls primary school were forced to walk on the road because of a loyalist protest on the foot paths of Ardoyne Road.
Thursday night once again saw the nationalist homes at Alliance Ave stoned by loyalists throwing from Alliance Road.
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2002: Republican action caused total chaos in Belfast City Centre, closed the M1 motorway and caused total chaos and tail backs for miles on the M2.
With scenes not witnessed since the 1980s roads were blocked and cars and vans stopped.
In what was a well-planned action, a van was hi-jacked on the Grosvenor Road at the shops around 11.30am. A bomb, said to be a large blast bomb, which if it went off would have cause widespread damage was abandoned at the West Link roundabout.
It is believed two Republican Volunteers, one armed, were involved, making good their escape.
The attack was later condemned by all the pro-Brit parties, most vocally by the Provisionals, as an attack on the sell-out process.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2002: Once again stone throwing attacks took place at the back of nationalist homes in Alliance Ave. Although minor to that carried out in the past, it is still a cause for great concern and stressful for those living in such a situation. People living in the Alliance Ave will tell you that it's almost a feeling of 'thank God, it's only stones'. Better than what it could be. Then you start to wonder, 'is it only the start? Have the petrol bombs, pipe or blast bombs to come next?' All these things are never out of your thoughts.
The stoning from the loyalists Alliance Road went on for some time before subsiding. There was no damage done in this attack.
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2002: Sunday afternoon, 3pm. Republican Sinn Féin held a very well attended meeting in Conway Mill, Falls Road to highlight the plight of the Republican POWs in Maghaberry prison.
Sunday night once again saw stone throwing at the back of nationalist homes on the Alliance Ave. At one stage loyalist youths took to roofs of houses in the loyalist Alliance Road to shout dirty and sectarian talk down to nationalists who would go into the backs of their houses to look for damage.
For the most, people living in the Alliance Ave stay in the front of their homes when these attacks take place in case a bomb or shots follow the stones which has been the case many times.
Groups of youths stood at Twaddle Ave alongside Brit and RUC Land Rovers watching across to the Ardoyne shops where nationalist youths were standing. Although there was a lot of tension in the area, apart from shouting there was no trouble. There were no other reports of trouble as the night went on.
A bomb containing 150lbs of explosives was abandoned outside Maghaberry jail, Co Antrim. The device which was planted in a Mitsubishi four-wheel-drive vehicle, failed to go off.
MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2002: At around 8.40pm on Monday night three children walking along the Alliance Ave in north Belfast, two boys and a girl aged 10 to 11 years old were attacked by a man (loyalist) who got out of a car carrying a wooden weapon.
He asked the childrens religion. When one of them said they were Catholics the man started to beat them with the weapon, injuring the children.
People living in the street, on witnessing the attack, went to the childrens aid. One passer-by went over and hit the childrens attacker before he retreated back to his car and drove off.
Witnesses saw the car stopped and the driver lifted by the RUC. The RUC stated later that the driver was lifted over drink driving.
The children were left in a terrible state and had to be treated in hospital for injuries and shock. There's no doubt that the people who went to the childrens aid may have very well saved their lives.
This was just another attack of many carried out daily against those living in the Alliance Ave.
The 26-County police and the RUC/PSNI signed an all-Ireland policing pact which may see RUC members serving in the 26 Counties and 26-County police in the Six Counties.