1997 nationalist riots in Northern Ireland From 6 July to 11 July 1997 there were mass protests , fierce riots and gun battles in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland . Irish nationalists and republicans , in some cases supported by the Provisional Irish Republican Army ( IRA ) , attacked the police ( Royal Ulster Constabulary - RUC ) and British Army . The protests and violence were a reaction to the Drumcree parading dispute . It was sparked by the decision of Mo Mowlam , then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland , to allow the Orange Order to march through the nationalist district of Portadown , County Armagh . Nationalists were outraged at the decision and by the RUC ' s aggressive removal of nationalist protesters who had been blocking the march . It was the last spell of widespread violence in Northern Ireland before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 . The RUC and British Army were forced to withdraw entirely from some nationalist areas of Belfast . The IRA ' s involvement in the clashes was its last major action during its 27 - year campaign . The paramilitary organisation declared its last ceasefire on 19 July . Background . The Orange Order is a Protestant fraternal organisation with links to unionism . It insists that it should be allowed to march its traditional route to - and - from Drumcree Church each July . It has marched this route since 1807 , when the area was sparsely populated . However , today most of this route falls within the town ' s mainly - Catholic and Irish nationalist quarter , which is densely populated . The residents have sought to re - route the march away from this area , seeing it as " triumphalist " and " supremacist " . There have been intermittent violent clashes during the yearly parade since at least 1873 . The dispute was intensified by The Troubles , which began in 1969 . In 1987 , the Orangemen were banned from marching along Obins Street , after their march caused severe rioting two years in a row . However , the Orangemen would still be allowed to march along the other main road through the nationalist area — the Garvaghy Road — which was less - populated at the time . Although a few years passed without serious conflict over the Drumcree parades , both sides remained unhappy with the situation . In 1995 , nationalist residents formed the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition ( GRRC ) to try and divert the march away from Garvaghy Road . The conflict escalated that July when residents blocked Garvaghy Road for two days . Orangemen and their supporters clashed with police until the residents were persuaded to clear the road and the march went ahead . The July 1996 march was banned by the Chief Constable , leading to large - scale protests and rioting between Orangemen , their supporters and the police . As a response to the march being banned , the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF ) shot dead a Catholic taxi driver and threatened further attacks . As a result , the ban was lifted . Police violently removed the nationalist protesters from Garvaghy Road and forced the march through . This led to rioting in nationalist areas across Northern Ireland ; one protester was crushed to death by a British Army vehicle . July 1997 Drumcree parade . On 18 June 1997 Alistair Graham warned after the killings of two RUC officers in Lurgan that the IRA was seeking to raise tensions before the march so that a compromise would be impossible . In late June 1997 , Secretary of State Mo Mowlam had privately decided to let the march proceed . This was later revealed in a leaked document . However , in the days leading up to the march , she insisted that no decision had been made . She met Taioseach Bertie Ahern , who stressed that any unilateral decision to allow the march would be ' a mistake ' . The RUC and the Northern Ireland Office replied that they would make public their decision only two or three days beforehand . Earlier , Mo Mowlam had said that any decision would be released at least six days before the march . As the parade day approached , thousands of people left Northern Ireland for fear of an outbreak violence like that of July 1996 . Meanwhile , the residents coalition applied for a street festival to be held the same day as the march , but this was banned by the RUC . Women from the nationalist district instead set - up a peace camp along the Garvaghy Road . The Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF ) threatened to kill Catholic civilians if the march was not allowed to proceed . The Ulster Unionist Party also threatened to withdraw from the Northern Ireland peace process . On 4 July , 60 families had to be evacuated from their homes on Garvaghy Road after a loyalist bomb threat . On Sunday 6 July at 3 : 30am , 1500 soldiers and police moved into the nationalist area in 100 armoured vehicles and sealed - off all the roads . This led to clashes with about 300 protesters , who begun a sit - down protest on the road . The last protesters were forcibly removed from the road by 6 : 33am . From this point onward , all residents were prevented from leaving their housing estates and accessing the main road . As residents were unable to reach the Catholic , the local priests were forced to hold an open - air mass in front of a line of soldiers and armoured personnel carrier s . Some RUC officers claimed that the residents taunted them about the deaths of their two colleges at Lurgan in June while shouting pro - IRA slogans . There are allegations that Rosemary Nelson , the solicitor for the residents coalition , was verbally and physically abused by the RUC . Ronnie Flanagan , then Chief Constable of the RUC , said that the decision to allow the march was taken to avoid loyalist violence . The parade marched along Garvaghy Road at noon that day . After it passed , the security forces began withdrawing from the area . A large - scale riot developed . About 40 plastic bullet s were fired at rioters , and about 18 people had to be hospitalized . Violent reaction in Nationalist areas . Sunday 6 July . Violence erupted across Northern Ireland as news from Portadown reached nationalist areas . Unionist politicians accused the IRA of starting the riots . Republican sources admitted that the IRA was openly involved in the unrest ; unlike in 1996 , when it had restrained itself from retaliation . The IRA claimed a number of actions in response to the Drumcree crisis . During the weekend alone , the IRA carried out at least nine attacks on British troops . One of the first attacks took place in Coalisland , where the IRA ' s East Tyrone Brigade launched a gun attack on an RUC armored vehicle besides the local Army / RUC barracks ; a female officer from Portadown was badly wounded . Some sources fixed the date of the attack on 5 July . In Belfast , a lone IRA member with an AK - 47 opened - fire on an RUC checkpoint at Lower Ormeau Road . Five rounds hit an APC that was parked on the Ormeau Bridge . The attack was recorded by a BBC television crew . Later that evening , shots were fired at an armored patrol on Newtownards Road , a bomb was thrown at an RUC base in North Belfast , and in South Belfast , an IRA unit prevented a riot squad from entering the Markets area after firing 20 rounds at them . That night , several British Army patrols were harassed by gunfire in North Belfast . An armored vehicle was set on fire at Brompton Park in Ardoyne , according to republican sources . Another one was burnt - out on Antrim Road . Late that evening in the Oldpark area , an RUC landrover became stuck in a barricade made of iron pilings and its crew had to flee when it was attacked with petrol bombs . Rioters using petrol bombs in Short Strand forced the RUC to close an access road to the M3 motorway . On Sunday evening , a 14 - year - old boy and 13 - year - old girl were shot by RUC plastic bullets in the Lenadoon area of West Belfast . The boy was struck in the head and spent three days in a coma . The girl was walking along Stewartstown Road with friends when she was struck in the face . According to " An Phoblacht " , there was no rioting at the time and the RUC had " opened fire on groups of young people returning home from a disco " . On Sunday night , there was violence at the interface on Lanark Way which links the loyalist Shankill Road and the republican Springfield Road . Stones , bricks and bottles were hurled across the peace line . " An Phoblacht " reported that warning shots were fired from the nationalist side . Another 24 people were admitted to Belfast ' s City Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital . On Sunday evening in Derry , thousands of people joined a protest march from the Bogside to the RUC base of Strand Road . Martin McGuinness addressed the crowd , calling on nationalists elsewhere to take to the streets to demand " justice and equality " and " stand up for their rights " . Although the protesters returned to the Bogside peacefully , there was violence in the city center . At Butcher Gate , there were clashes between nationalist youths and the RUC . It is claimed that the RUC fired " upwards of 1 , 000 plastic bullets " , many of them fired " indiscriminately " and aimed " above the waist , in direct contravention of the rules governing the use of such lethal weapons " . A 16 - year - old boy suffered " a fractured skull , a broken jaw , and shattered facial bones amongst other injuries " after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers . He was on life support for some time afterwards . An eyewitness described seeing one man , allegedly an onlooker , being shot in the face : " The side of his face was completely torn away , and he seemed to just slump to the ground " . Several others suffered serious head injuries . Nine were admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital with plastic bullet injuries . At least 30 others sought treatment at first aid houses or at Letterkenny Hospital across the border . Downtown Derry was sealed off by the RUC and the British Army , exception made of the accesses via Shipquay and Ferryquay Gates . In Newry , 3 , 000 joined a protest march to the Ardmore RUC base , where a rally was held . People marched behind banners saying " Disband the RUC " and " Dismantle the Orange State " . Besides the shooting of an RUC armoured vehicle in Coalisland , mentioned above , an Orange Order hall was set on fire in Dungannon , while nationalist residents forced their way through the RUC lines to stop an Orangemen parade in Pomeroy . In Armagh , hundreds attended a protest rally at The Shambles . Later , the RUC and British Army set - up roadblocks on entrances to the town center and nationalist youths hijacked a number of vehicles . There were clashes between nationalists and the RUC on English Street ; two youths were injured by plastic bullets . Just before midnight , there was a shootout between two IRA members and the RUC at a roadblock . The same roadblock was later petrol - bombed as violence continued into the night . In Lurgan , nine masked IRA members boarded a train , forced the passengers out and set it on fire , destroying five carriages . Monday 7 July . By 7 July , there were over 100 people injured , six of them in serious condition . The RUC stated that there had been 1 , 600 plastic bullets fired , 550 attacks on the security forces , and 41 people arrested . The fire service had received 500 calls and the ambulance service 150 , while the damage to property was estimated at £20 million . Shortly after midnight , a 25 - year - old woman suffered a fractured bone after being shot in the leg by a live round fired from New Barnsley RUC base . At the Larnak Way interface , West Belfast , loyalists tried to enter the nationalist area at 3 : 00 a . m . and a 14 - year - old Protestant boy was shot in the shoulder . One source reported that the teenager was wounded when an IRA unit launched a gun and grenade attack on a military base near the interface . Irish National Liberation Army ( INLA ) gunmen also opened fire on British soldiers in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast . In the Dunmurry area of Belfast , a member of the Ulster Defence Association ( UDA ) was killed when the pipe bomb he was handling exploded prematurely . The incident happened at an arms dump in a remote area . Later that night , members of the UDA and Ulster Volunteer Force ( UVF ) held a joint " show of strength " in North Belfast . Masked men armed with assault rifles and machine guns were filmed patrolling in Woodvale , saying they were there to protect Protestants . Members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF ) held a similar " show of strength " on Tuesday night . A 39 - year - old American citizen , John Hemsworth , was beaten with a baton by an RUC squadron on his way home from the Upper Falls area . He was stopped in Malcomson Street , where he was assaulted and verbally abused by the officers . There were no riots or protests in the area at the time . Hemsworth suffered a broken jaw and other injuries , and was admitted to hospital . He was discharged , but on 27 December he was re - admitted and died from a massive stroke on 1 January 1998 . Fourteen years later , an inquest found that he had died as result of the injuries received during the RUC beating . In the mainly nationalist village of Bellaghy , County Londonderry , residents mounted a peaceful protest against the yearly Orange march . There were scuffles as RUC and British Army moved the protesters away from the parade route . Martin McGuinness was struck in the head with a baton while giving an interview nearby . In Strabane , 250 petrol bombs were thrown at RUC officers , who in return fired plastic bullets at the crowd . Newry was declared " impassable " by the Automobile Association . A shopping center in the town was looted by what republican sources called " a gang responsible for a long series of anti - social activities and intimidation " . The IRA reportedly injured two of the gang members in a punishment shooting on 13 July . Buildings were set on fire in downtown Derry and a number of vehicles were hijacked . An Orange Order hall was set on fire at Newtownhamilton in south County Armagh . Four other halls suffered the same fate in Cookstown , Beragh , Sixmilecross and Ballycastle . Tuesday 8 July . On 8 July , a document was leaked to the press which hinted that Mo Mowlan had decided in June to allow the Drumcree march to proceed . This caused further outrage among nationalists . That day , residents announced that they would block the Orange Order ' s 12th July parades in Armagh , Newry , Bellaghy , Lower Ormeau Road ( Belfast ) , Derry and Strabane . An RUC source confirmed that the IRA had carried out more than a dozen gun and grenade attacks since 6 July , while 250 vehicles had been burnt . The Irish National Liberation Army ( INLA ) threatened to attack Orangemen whom it considered responsible for forcing parades through Nationalist neighborhoods . The IRA ' s Belfast Brigade claimed that dozens of its members were involved in operations against the security forces in West and North Belfast since Sunday . On Crumlin Road , there was a shootout between IRA members and an RUC mobile patrol , without casualties from either side . Some time later , a rocket attack took place on Hallidays Road , in the New Lodge area . Also on Crumlin Road , an IRA volunteer fired 15 shots at a British soldier who was engaging protesters with plastic bullets . According to a republican report , this action was recorded by an independent television crew . A single shot was fired at an RUC officer on Alliance Avenue and several minutes later there was another gunfight between the IRA and RUC on Oldpark Road . In the Ardoyne area of North Belfast , the IRA allegedly shot two loyalist men who were throwing petrol bombs at nationalist homes . New Barnsley RUC base in West Belfast was the target of a gun and grenade attack , while an Army base at the end of Lenadoon Avenue suffered a similar assault , with 15 shots fired and an improvised grenade thrown at it . On Falls Road , 20 rounds were fired at a British security checkpoint . Although there was return fire , all the IRA members made good their escape . According to independent sources , IRA members fired at British soldiers and RUC officers who were trying to remove barricades in North Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday , forcing them to retreat . No injuries were reported . Meanwhile , in West Belfast , petrol bombs were thrown at RUC vehicles . A passing 11 - year - boy suffered severe burns when he was accidentally hit by one of the bombs . The Protestant estate at Suffolk was attacked from Lenadoon . Several cars were burned . Scattered riots continued throughout the day and the outbound lanes of a highway were blocked by hijacked cars . About 100 rioters clashed with the RUC in Bellaghy and the Orange hall was hit by a number of petrol - bombs . Another three Orange Order halls were burnt in Portadown , Dunloy and Moy . During disturbances in Portadown on Tuesday morning , an RUC officer was shot in the arm and leg near Garvaghy Road . In Newry , British government buildings were set on fire and a train was partially burnt - out at the railway station . On Tuesday evening , protesters held a " white line picket " in The Shambles area of Armagh . A crowd of several hundred surged up English Street and were blocked by a line of RUC landrovers . The picket lasted an hour and was concluded when Sinn Féin councillor Noel Sheridan addressed the crowd , urging them to attend further protests during the week . Wednesday 9 July . On 9 July , the British Government sent in 400 soldiers of the Staffordshire Regiment to reinforce the 30 , 000 troops and RUC members already deployed in Northern Ireland . A landmine was planted by the IRA near Dungannon , where several vehicles were burnt , while shots were fired in Strabane and a rifle recovered at Short Strand in Belfast . A number of false bomb threats threw traffic into chaos . In Carrickmore , County Tyrone , yet another Orange hall was set on fire . In Lurgan ' s Kilwilkie estate , RUC and Royal Irish Regiment troops tried to clear residents from their homes after claiming there was a bomb near the railway line . When a man was allegedly assaulted by the troops , about 150 people gathered to confront them . RUC officers threatened to fire plastic bullets at the gathering crowd before the bulk of the forces agreed to leave the area . Residents accused the security forces of verbal abuse . At the same time , two young sisters were hospitalized after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers in the Drumbeg area of Craigavon , County Armagh . The alleged assault happened after the officers spotted one of the girls filming them while they were beating a young boy . Since Tuesday , the RUC recorded 76 people arrested , 900 plastic bullets fired and 265 attacks on the security forces . In West Belfast , a car bomb exploded outside shops on the Andersonstown Road . The car had been left by three men wearing dark glasses and carrying walkie - talkies . Sinn Féin members helped clear the area and claimed that the RUC took almost an hour to answer a call from a member of the public . Loyalists were believed to be responsible for the blast . The INLA threatened to shot Protestants if the parade in Belfast was allowed to go ahead , while the LVF vowed to shot people in the Republic if the marches were stopped . The later threat was taken " very seriously " by Gardaí commander Pat Byrne , who put on alert all security checkpoints along the border . The Orange Order vowed to gather its entire organization at Ormeau Park if the parade there was banned . Converserly , the Bogside Residents Group called for a huge demonstration to stop the 12th July Orange march in Derry . Thursday 10 July . In Belfast , the North of Ireland Rugby & Cricket Club and the Carnmoney Church of Ireland were damaged in arson attacks . There was a security alert at Newry RUC station and the Ulster Unionist Party Headquarters received a hoax letter bomb in the post . In Lisnaskea , five commercial buildings owned by Orangemen were attacked and an Orange hall was petrol - bombed in Waterside , Derry . Violence waned as the Orange Order announced it was reconsidering the route of several parades . A dissident group inside the Order called the decision a " terrible betrayal " . Friday 11 July . On 11 July in North Belfast , the IRA launched a gun and bomb attack on a checkpoint guarded by a Saxon armoured vehicle . Three British soldiers and two RUC officers were injured . The IRA unit fired 56 shots from two AK - 47 assault rifles and also threw a coffee - jar bomb . The soldiers were members of the recently arrived Staffordshire Regiment . In a separate incident on Doon Road , in the Suffolk area of Belfast , an RUC / British Army patrol was the target of a grenade attack . " The Independent " reported that two teenage Protestants at an Eleventh Night bonfire were shot and wounded by republicans . There were also a number of clashes between nationalists and security forces overnight . An Orange hall was burned in Bond street , Derry . Aftermath . By 9 July , according to an RUC report , 60 RUC officers and 56 civilians had been injured while 117 people had been arrested . There had been 815 attacks on the security forces , 1 , 506 petrol bombs thrown and 402 hijackings . The RUC had fired 2 , 500 plastic bullets . According to other sources , over 100 people are believed to have been injured . The last IRA action took place on 12 July , when an improvised mortar round fell 40 yards short of the RUC / British Army base at Newtownhamilton , south County Armagh . Arsonists attacked an Orange hall in Warrenpoint , County Down and another in Rasharkin , County Antrim . The violence died down on 10 July when the Orange Order decided unilaterally to re - route six parades . The following day , Orangemen and residents agreed to waive another march in Newtownbutler , County Fermanagh . In Pomeroy , County Tyrone , nationalist residents blocked Orangemen ' s return parade with a counter - demonstration , while the marches in Newry and Lower Ormeau were canceled outright . The Order ' s gesture was unheard of in its 202 - year history . According to Anglican minister and orangeman Bill Hoey " this was an extremely bitter pill to swallow , but the powers that be made it clear to us that to have taken any other decision would have meant civil war . " Author Eric Kaufmann claims that the RUC overstated security threats to trick county lodge officials into taking the decision . This was the last time that the Orange Order was allowed to parade through nationalist areas around Drumcree . In a parallel development , on 9 July the British government assured Sinn Féin that in the event of a new IRA ceasefire , representatives of that party would be allowed to meet with government ministers . A week later , Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness called for a renewal of the IRA 1994 ceasefire . The IRA announced the restoration of the ceasefire on 19 July . " The Last Gunman " , a photograph taken by Brendan Murphy of an IRA man firing an AK - 47 on Ormeau Road , became an iconic image of the Troubles .