On 3 December 2012, Belfast City Council voted to limit the days that the Union Flag (the flag of the United Kingdom) flies from Belfast City Hall.A background note on the protests and violence related to the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN), 8 February 2013 Since 1906, the flag had been flown every day of the year. This was reduced to 18 specific days a year, the minimum requirement for UK government buildings. The move to limit the number of days was backed by the council's Irish nationalists while the Alliance Party abstained from the vote; it was opposed by the unionist councillors.
As a response, Ulster loyalists and British nationalists held street protests throughout Northern Ireland. They saw the council's decision as part of a wider 'cultural war' against 'Britishness' in Northern Ireland."Northern Ireland Orange Order leaders warn of cultural war" BBC News. 12 July 2013"Belfast: 'It's not just the flag. They want to take everything British away'" The Observer, 12 January 2013 On the night of the vote, protesters tried to storm City Hall. Throughout December and January, protests were held almost daily and most involved the protesters blocking roads while carrying Union Flags and banners. Some of these protests led to clashes between loyalists and the police, sparking riots. Rioters attacked police with petrol bombs, bricks, stones and fireworks; police responded with plastic bullets and water cannon. Alliance Party offices and the homes of Alliance Party members were attacked, while Belfast City Councillors were sent death threats. According to police, some of the violence was orchestrated by high-ranking members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA)."Loyalist paramilitaries 'behind some Northern Ireland trouble'" BBC News, 8 December 2012 Loyalists also put up thousands of Union flags in public places, which further heightened tension.
After February 2013, the protests have been smaller and less frequent, and have led to greater loyalist protests about related issues, such as restrictions on traditional loyalist marches.
Background
Since the formation of Northern Ireland in 1921, there has been tension and violence between its two main religious groups. Unionists/Ulster loyalists (who are mostly Ulster Protestant) generally want Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom, while Irish nationalists/republicans (who are mostly Catholic) generally want it to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland. The former generally identify with the Union Flag, while the latter generally do not and instead identify with the Irish tricolour.
In Northern Ireland, flags are often used as symbols of political allegiance, cultural identity, and to mark territory. The flying of flags is an issue in Northern Ireland, and flying certain flags in certain places can be highly controversial. There have been many protests and clashes involving flags and symbols over the years."Raw emotions in Northern Ireland exposed by issues like flags" BBC News, 4 December 2012 In 1964 there were riots after a republican election candidate put an Irish tricolour (which was then illegal) in the window of his office on the Falls Road, Belfast. The unionist Minister of Home Affairs, responding to pressure from hardliners, ordered police to remove the flag. This sparked fierce clashes between republicans and the police.1964: THE TRICOLOUR RIOTS Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN)
Belfast City Council had long been dominated by unionists, mainly the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). However, in May 2011 Irish nationalists (Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party) won more seats than unionists for the first time. The middle-ground Alliance Party held the balance of power on the council. Nationalist councillors wanted the Union Jack taken down permanently, and unionist councillors wanted it to keep flying all year. Alliance put forward a compromise: that it would fly on 18 designated days, in line with UK government policy on the flying of the union flag from UK government buildings, which is followed by many city and local governments in Britain.Flag Flying Policy "London Borough of Barking and Dagenham At Parliament Buildings (or Stormont), where the Northern Ireland Assembly meets, the Union Jack is only flown on 15 designated days."Stormont union flag: David Ford hints at movement" BBC News, 1 February 2013 The nationalist and Alliance councillors voted in favour of this compromise and it was passed.
In the weeks leading up to the vote, the DUP had printed and distributed over 40,000 leaflets in East Belfast, with help from the UUP. The leaflets attacked Alliance and called on people to protest against its proposal. Alliance accused the unionists of trying to raise tensions.Q&A: Northern Ireland flag protests BBC News, 8 December 2012 In the May 2010 general election, Naomi Long of Alliance had defeated Peter Robinson of the DUP to win the East Belfast seat. This was the first time that a non-unionist party had won the seat. It is thought that many unionists voted for Alliance as a protest at Robinson's financial misdealings. Some commentators believed that the DUP had been waiting for a chance to weaken the Alliance Party and win back their former voters in East Belfast.
During the middle of 2012, particularly in September, heightened tensions led to the 2012 North Belfast riots.
Protests
The unionist protesters saw the change as an attack on their cultural identity. In December 2012 and early 2013 they held almost daily street protests throughout Northern Ireland. Most involved the protesters blocking roads while carrying Union Flags and banners. Some of these protests led to clashes between protesters and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), sparking riots. Attacks were made on Alliance Party offices and the homes of Alliance Party members, while Belfast City councillors were sent death threats. Unlike the Irish nationalist parties, Alliance has offices in loyalist areas. According to police, some of the violence has been orchestrated by high-ranking members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA). These are the two main loyalist paramilitary groups, who waged armed campaigns during the Troubles but declared ceasefires in 1994. The Belfast Telegraph claimed that some of the violence has been fuelled by youngsters engaging in "recreational rioting". There was also a rise in sectarian attacks on Catholic churches by loyalist militants, which some have linked to the flag protests.
The cost of policing the protests has been estimated at £20 million (up to 7 March 2013).
December 2012 On the evening of 3 December, hundreds of protesters gathered outside City Hall as the debate and vote was being held. Minutes after the vote, protesters broke into the back courtyard and tried to force open the doors of the building. Two security staff and a press photographer were injured, and windows of cars in the courtyard were smashed. Protesters then clashed with the police, injuring 15 officers. The Chief Superintendent said:
On 4 December, Alliance Party councillor Laura McNamee was forced to move from her east Belfast home after receiving threats."Timeline of attacks on Northern Ireland political parties" BBC News, 7 January 2013 On 5 December, up to 1,500 protesters gathered in Carrickfergus. The protest became violent and police responded by firing plastic bullets. The rioters ransacked an Alliance Party office and tried to set it on fire. The home of Michael and Christine Bower, Alliance councillors in Bangor, was attacked."Police injured and Alliance property attacked during NI trouble" BBC News, 6 December 2012
There were clashes between protesters and police in Belfast and Newtownabbey on 7 December; police responded with water cannons."Loyalist paramilitaries behind some Northern Ireland trouble" BBC News, 8 December 2012 Death threats were sent to Naomi Long, Alliance's MP for East Belfast in the House of Commons. She described it as a "wanton attack on the democratic process". Bullets were sent to her, David Ford, local councillor Gerardine Mulvenna, Gerry Kelly and Alex Maskey. The home and car of an Alliance councillor in Newtownards were attacked, with most of the windows being smashed. Speaking on a radio show that morning, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician Basil McCrea went against his party's policy and said he agreed with the flag vote. Other party members demanded the party take action against him."Ulster Unionist trio want Basil McCrea disciplined" BBC News, 7 December 2012
Up to 2,000 protesters gathered at Belfast City Hall on 8 December. The crowd was addressed by former British National Party (BNP) fundraiser Jim Dowson. Also present were Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) leader Billy Hutchinson and Ulster Defence Association (UDA) commander Jackie McDonald. Some of the protesters burnt an Irish tricolour. There were minor clashes with police after the rally."Belfast flag protests: Loyalists clash with police after rally" BBC News, 8 December 2012
On 10 December, a gang of men attacked a police car guarding Naomi Long's office in east Belfast. They smashed the window and threw in a petrol bomb while a policewoman was still inside, but she escaped unharmed. There was rioting in east and south Belfast. In Armagh, protesters attacked a pub owned by the husband of a Sinn Féin councillor. The windows were smashed and rocket fireworks thrown inside. Later, three men were hurt in a hit-and-run at a protest nearby."Police car petrol-bombed near MP Naomi Long's office" BBC News, 11 December 2012
There were two large demonstrations at City Hall on 15 December. In response to the violence, several hundred held a "peace vigil" in which they linked arms and encircled the building. Later, up to 1,000 loyalists with Union Flags blocked the roads in front of the building."Hundreds attend Belfast peace vigil" BBC News, 15 December 2012 About 80 protests were held in Northern Ireland on 17 December. Police were attacked in south Belfast, where loyalists blocked a road near the City Hospital with a burning barricade and tried to hijack vehicles. At a protest in Portadown, a man was hurt in a road accident. At Carrickfergus Town Hall, protesters disrupted a meeting of the council and threatened councillors. Alliance councillor Noel Williams called it "a full frontal attack on democracy".
January 2013 1–15 January Each night from 3–8 January, the protests led to clashes between loyalists and police in East Belfast. Rioters threw petrol bombs, fireworks, bricks, stones and bottles; police responded with plastic bullets and water cannon. According to the Belfast Telegraph, much of the East Belfast violence was being directed by a few high-ranking members of the UVF East Belfast Brigade. They allegedly ignored orders from the UVF leadership to stop the violence. Police sources said that the East Belfast Brigade leader could have stopped the rioting if he wished. Ten officers were injured on the first night."Ten police officers hurt in trouble after Belfast union flag protest" BBC News, 4 January 2013 On 4 January, attempts were made to hijack cars and buses. In Newtownabbey, masked men broke into commercial premises and stole money."Union flag protests: Nine police officers hurt in fresh flag trouble" BBC News, 5 January 2013 On 5 January, shots were fired at police during clashes in east Belfast. Loyalists claimed that trouble began when they came under attack from the Short Strand, an Irish nationalist enclave."Belfast flags trouble: Matt Baggott in warning to rioters" BBC News, 6 January 2013 The next night, loyalists protested near the Short Strand and then clashed with police nearby."Belfast flags trouble: PSNI chief says senior UVF members are involved" BBC News, 7 January 2013