Water cannon fired in latest disorder after Belfast knife attack

7 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on Google Barry O'ConnorBBC News NI Pacemaker The cannon was deployed at the Sandyknowes roundabout in County Antrim A water cannon has been deployed to disperse a large crowd after a second night of disorder in Northern Ireland following the Belfast knife attack. Riot police came under sustained attack from a group throwing bricks, bottles and pieces of wood at a major roundabout to the north-west of Belfast. Additional officers were drafted in but Wednesday's disorder was not on the same scale as Tuesday's violence. Public transport shut down across Northern Ireland and some schools closed early on Wednesday ahead of any disruption. Belfast city centre was deserted after many businesses shut up shop by lunchtime. Watch: Masked group damage property and hurl bricks at police The cannon was deployed at the Sandyknowes roundabout in Glengormley, about eight miles (13km) north-west of Belfast city centre. Footage showed dozens of people dressed all in black and wearing face coverings tearing up the driveways and fences of nearby houses to use as missiles. A large Department for Infrastructure vehicle was seen in flames, and bins were set on fire. The crowd attempted to set fire to a derelict property in the same area, with some throwing petrol bombs at police lines. It seems they were trying to get close to a hotel which houses asylum seekers. There have been protests elsewhere in Northern Ireland but they have been largely peaceful. In east Belfast, where there was major trouble on Tuesday, about 150 people gathered amid a large police presence. Police said there was little trouble and few arrests had been made. More than 100 people gathered at row of houses near the Ulster University campus in Coleraine, County Londonderry. Some of the crowd remonstrated with police about the houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and those living in them before before finishing up. In Derry, police advised motorists to avoid the Ardmore Road at the Church Brae junction due to items on fire. About 140 protesters had gathered at the Stormont estate in Belfast. Police advised motorists to avoid the Sandyknowes roundabout Earlier, Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old originally from Sudan, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder over a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday that caused serious injuries to the victim, Stephen Ogilvie. Ogilvie, who is in his 40s, has lost his left eye and has damage to his right eye, along with injuries to his neck and back.