Northern Ireland Leaders Condemn Recent Violence

Northern Ireland political leaders from all sides united Thursday to call for calm after at least four nights of street violence prompted by Brexit-induced trade barriers between the region and the rest of Britain.

The latest violence late Wednesday involved crowds of youths in the pro-British area of Belfast setting a hijacked bus on fire and throwing gasoline bombs, bricks and fireworks at police. Members of Northern Ireland’s legislative assembly returned early from their Easter break to address the violence. While politicians from all sides previously condemned the clashes, the nationalists and unionists who lead its compulsory power-sharing coalition initially blamed each other. But Thursday, there was a unified call for an end to the violence. Naomi Long, leader of the centrist Alliance Party, described the violence as "nothing short of disgraceful."