Riots in Northern Ireland and British and American calls for calm

On Thursday, the White House expressed concern over the unrest in Northern Ireland in recent days, calling for calm, pointing out that Washington joins the call made by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Michael Martin to remain "calm."

Belfast is experiencing the worst turmoil in recent years, and it has come amid economic turmoil following Brexit, as well as tensions between pro-UK unionists and pro-Irish nationalists.

The authorized legislature has cut short the Easter holiday to pass an emergency law condemning the riots.

A statement issued by the office of Irish Prime Minister Martin said that he and Johnson addressed "this afternoon the worrying developments in Northern Ireland" and stressed that "acts of violence are unacceptable" and called for "calm."

And US President Joe Biden, who is of Irish descent, has previously urged to stick to the "Good Friday" agreement, which in 1998 ended a conflict between the Unionists and the Republicans.

Protests continue in the Northern Ireland capital Belfast (Reuters)

Charges exchanged

The leaders of Northern Ireland issued a joint statement condemning the riots that lasted for days in the province, indicating the possible involvement of military volunteers.

The statement added that progress would be made "through dialogue and the work of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. They also agreed that the two governments would continue to communicate."

For his part, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney stressed today, Thursday, that the violence in the country must stop before it causes deaths, and called on political and community leaders to work together to reduce tension.

"Those involved in violence, criminal sabotage, manipulation of our youth and attacks on the police, stop," Michelle O'Neill, deputy prime minister for Northern Ireland and leader of the nationalist Sinn Fein party, said on Twitter late Wednesday.

Politicians on all sides in Northern Ireland condemned the clashes, but the main parties participating in the government traded accusations.