Security Issues
Rioting between neighbouring loyalist and republican factions has been a feature of the area's recent past. The introduction of CCTV in the area, and in other similar places in the city, has had a positive effect with a drastic reduction in incidents there, and throughout Belfast. The neighbouring districts are unionist areas to the east and to the south, the area to the north is an industrial area and to the west is the River Lagan spanned by the Albert Bridge and leading to the Nationalist/Republican Markets area.
There is currently a peace line on its southern edge, separating unionist Cluan Place and nationalist Madrid Street.
On Mountpottinger Road, which traverses it, there was a police station with fortifications made necessary during the Troubles because of bomb and gun attacks against security force members from Republican paramilitaries. These barriers dated from the presence of the Royal Ulster Constabulary here, which ended in 2000. The police station was closed in 2010, and demolished in February 2011.
Read more about this topic: Short Strand
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