Belfast police dodge gunfire in 3rd night of Irish nationalist riots; no injuries reported

Police dodge gunfire in 3rd night of Belfast riots

DUBLIN — Northern Ireland police have come under live fire during a third straight night of rioting in Irish-nationalist parts of Belfast, but have reported no injuries.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said Wednesday a lone attacker armed with a handgun fired four to six shots as riot police combated masked men and youths overnight in Ardoyne, a hard-line Catholic district in north Belfast.

Witnesses say the shots appeared to have been aimed at a police surveillance camera recording the actions of the rioters, who also threw dozens of Molotov cocktails and at least one homemade grenade.

Politicians have accused Irish Republican Army dissidents of directing the violence that began Sunday night and spread to several working-class Catholic neighborhoods.