Our activists were trying to prevent attacks on Fountain and one had his car torched: Saoradh

In a statement, issued from its Junior McDaid House headquarters in Chamberlain Street this afternoon, it said its activists has been on the ground in the Bogside attempting to prevent further sectarian attacks on the Fountain when rioting broke out late on Monday.

The group, which is opposed to the Good Friday Agreement and highly critical of the PSNI and mainstream political parties, especially Sinn Féin, said it had refused to attend a demonstration against further disturbances at Meenan Square last night because it has been organised by the latter organisation.

"The 'community rally' which was held in the Bogside last night, was nothing more than a Sinn Féin Cumann meeting held outdoors with very few actual residents involved. Rather than attend this, our activists spoke to the young people," the party stated.

"Our activists were on the ground until the early hours and managed to get an agreement from the young people that they would no longer attack the Fountain.

"We also managed to stop vans belonging to a local fast food outlet being hijacked. The young people we spoke to stressed that Alexander House was never their intended target and unfortunately the RUC [sic] parked their landrovers there during previous nights," it added.

Saoradh claimed that "the car which was burnt out on Fahan Street, belonged to one of our activists, while he was working on the ground with the young people".

It rejected claims that republicans had any role in orchestrating last night's disorder.

"For our part, regardless of these attacks in the media, we will continue to have a presence in the area, to try and ensure that the Fountain is left alone," the party said.