Protestants Rally in Irelamd

(CNN) -- The summer marching season has long been an annual flashpoint between Northern Ireland's Protestant and Catholic communities, despite the peace process which has brought stability to the province in recent years.

At least 27 police officers were injured in overnight clashes in Belfast, including three hit by shotgun pellets, on the eve of July 12, known as "The Twelth" by Protestants who march to celebrate the victory of English king William III over his ousted Catholic predecessor James II in 1689.

The violence was blamed on dissident republicans; groups such as the Real IRA and Continuity IRA who oppose the 1998 Good Friday peace settlement and power-sharing deal negotiated and signed by mainstream republican leaders such as Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/12/northern.ireland.marching.season/
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