\n<\/p>\n
Police said a planned operation had been in place from Saturday morning with a large number of young people seen travelling at speed and dangerously on scrambler-type bikes and e-bikes in the wider Stewartstown Road and Falls Roads area, Dunmurry and M1.<\/p>\n
“The riders had their faces partially covered, no helmets and driving without care for their safety or those around them,” the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.<\/p>\n
“Stingers were deployed on a number of vehicles in an attempt to halt the drivers and a scrambler seized.<\/p>\n
“Its 17-year-old rider was interviewed for dangerous driving, no licence, no insurance and no number plate.”<\/p>\n
Ch Insp Kelly Gibson, West Belfast area commander, said: “We know the level of local concern on last night’s incident and on previous nights of dangerous and risk-taking behaviour. <\/p>\n
“These were disgraceful scenes and are doing all we can to keep the Colin community safe.”<\/p>\n
She added that those choosing to get involved “were causing destruction within your own community”. <\/p>\n
“Your actions are impacting your own families, friends and neighbours,” she said.<\/p>\n
Colm Fanning, a youth worker from the Lagmore Youth Project, said images of the disorder were “stark”.<\/p>\n
“The behaviour that’s going on down here is going to result in someone dying. We’ve seen so many accidents, and it’s only a matter of time.”<\/p>\n
He said most of the young people were bystanders who were watching the disorder. <\/p>\n
“The majority of those that were involved were adults,” he said. <\/p>\n
“My concern is about the number of young people that were being used to get involved in trying to lure out the police.”<\/p>\n
Fanning added that some of the children at the disorder were as young as nine.<\/p>\n
“Young people don’t understand what they’re doing to their own community, they don’t understand what they’re doing to their own future,” he said.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in assembly member Danny Baker said the “main thoroughfare was shut down by large groups of young people determined to cause chaos and destruction”.<\/p>\n
Baker continued: “What we witnessed on the Stewartstown Road last night was absolutely disgraceful.<\/p>\n
“Residents and businesses were once again hemmed in, while youth workers were threatened by sinister elements standing on the sidelines of the disorder.<\/p>\n
“This is not the Colin [Glen] I know, the Colin I represent or the Colin I love.”<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in MP Paul Maskey, who represents west Belfast, said the “people of Colin deserve better”.<\/p>\n
“Those intent on disrupting residents, closing off a key thoroughfare connecting communities and intimidating youth workers offer nothing for our community,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I’m urging those responsible to stop this madness before someone is seriously injured or worse.”<\/p>\n
Independent councillor Paul Doherty said the Stewartstown Road was “absolute chaos” again.<\/p>\n
“The place is out of control,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Those involved are showing complete disregard for their own community and for everyone who lives here.<\/p>\n
“How any parent can be unaware of where their children are during all of this and not act immediately is beyond me.”<\/p>\n
Doherty called for decisive action, adding that the current approach to the issue was not working.<\/p>\n
He took to social media to thank the council staff who were out first thing on Sunday morning to clean up the mess.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n