Northern Ireland

Arrests after Belfast Holylands 'partying'

The Holylands is a lively student housing area which has been blighted by sporadic anti-social behaviour. Picture by Cliff Donaldson
The Holylands is a lively student housing area which has been blighted by sporadic anti-social behaviour. Picture by Cliff Donaldson The Holylands is a lively student housing area which has been blighted by sporadic anti-social behaviour. Picture by Cliff Donaldson

TWO people were arrested after police were called to disperse large crowds "partying" in the early hours of the morning in the streets of a Belfast neighbourhood popular for student accommodation.

Officers responded to the reports of antisocial behaviour at Agincourt Avenue in the Holylands area of south Belfast at around 1.50am yesterday.

Ray Farley of the Holylands Residents Committee said the scenes resembled "a riot".

"There was sectarian chanting, dancing on cars and lighting of fires," he said.

A PSNI spokesman said they found "large crowds of people were partying, singing, and generally causing a disturbance".

"It seems that various house parties had extended to the street," he said.

"Officers spoke to many of the individuals and managed to disperse the crowds."

Two men were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences, including disorderly behaviour and remained in custody yesterday "assisting with inquiries".

The spokesman said officers are "appealing to those responsible to think about the consequences of their actions and to consider the impact of ending up with a criminal record, which has all sorts of consequences".

They have also asked anyone with information to get in touch on 101, quoting reference number 111 of 26/06/20.

Bruce Gardiner-Crehan who lives in the area posted a picture on social media yesterday morning of the aftermath, describing "students asleep outside on the pavement (not in this picture) and this is the scene from the night before... students walking around like zombies" and calling on Ulster University and Queen's University of Belfast to take action.

"Looking out my window I see students walking in with piles of alcohol. Looks like it's all weekend?"

There were calls for "universities to take responsibility" with suspension from courses and financial penalties, with one resident remarking "landlords aren't babysitters".

Meanwhile, police were called to a council-run parkland after reports of 50-60 young people in the area at around 8.30pm on Thursday.

When officers arrives at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park - which covers almost 130 acres and is accessible from the Upper Malone Road - "no issues were observed".