Politicians condemn Londonderry gun attack

A lone gunman fired five shots at PSNI officers responding to reports of rioting on the Lecky Road in the Bogside area of the city at approximately 1am on Tuesday morning.

Petrol bombs were thrown at a police patrol car which then came under fire from a lone gunman who discharged five shots from a short arm before running off.

Foyle MP Mark Durkan condemned the violence.

"If people don't want to listen to politicians like me, listen to the concerns and interest of the people of Derry who don't want any violence carried out anywhere in their name for any cause," he said.

"Clearly there was a set piece to this and it underlines the point that police do have to consider whether, responding to an incident, they are being set up for something worse," he said.

Sinn Fin Councillor Patricia Logue has said described overnight disturbances in the Bogside as futile and said it will only bring hardship on the local community.

"The people of the Bogside and Brandywell are sick, sore and tired of this ritual causing all sorts of mayhem in their area.

"Lets be very clear about this, these actions are in no way political.

"It is only an excuse to wreck and used as cover for acts of criminality

"In the past fortnight alone we had the new wall to remember the victims of Bloody Sunday being smashed up and a car getting burned on Rossville Street.

"Last night was just an extension of that"

Councillor Logue went on to say: "It's brought nothing but disruption to local residents and traffic travelling through the area and all this is happening right in front of pensioner's houses in The Wells and homes at the bottom of Westland Street.

"Attempts were made to hijack a number of vans on the Lecky Road flyover but thankfully this didn't succeed.

"Those behind these activities need to get off the backs of people of the Bogside and Brandywell.

"We are in a new era, people have moved on, we are creating a new society for the younger generations and there can be no place for this type of activity."