BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A Protestant religious organization in Northern Ireland claims last weekend's rioting in Belfast was entirely the fault of "aggressive and arrogant" police.
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Speaking on local radio Wednesday, Robert Saulters, the Orange Order Grand Master said its members did nothing wrong in the two days of violence that did millions of dollars in damages and injured 63 police officers.
"They approached policing on the day in an aggressive and arrogant manner," he said.
The mayhem involving Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs and gunfire started Saturday when police rerouted an Orange parade away from a predominantly Roman Catholic neighborhood.
Dawson Baillie, the Belfast County Grand Master of the Order, said the police use of a water cannon sparked the riots, The Times of London reported.
"As far as I am concerned, the violence was started by the police," he said.
Asked about criticism that he caused trouble by calling for support for the Orangemen, Baillie said: "I don't accept any responsibility for calling people out on the streets to assist us. I feel entirely blameless."
Copyright 2005 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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