Editing Ulster Volunteer Force (section)

====2010–2019====
The UVF was blamed for the shotgun killing of expelled RHC member Bobby Moffett on the Shankill Road on the afternoon of 28 May 2010, in front of passers-by including children.<ref name="moffett">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101019203637/http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/Twenty-Fourth%20Report.pdf Twenty-Fourth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission]}}</ref> The [[Independent Monitoring Commission]] stated Moffett was killed by UVF members acting with the sanction of the leadership.<ref name="moffett" /> The [[Progressive Unionist Party]]'s condemnation, and [[Dawn Purvis]] and other leaders' resignations as a response to the Moffett shooting, were also noted.<ref name="moffett" /> Eleven months later, a man was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of the UVF's alleged second-in-command [[Harry Stockman (loyalist)|Harry Stockman]], described by the ''[[Belfast Telegraph]]'' as a "senior Loyalist figure".<ref name="btmoffett">{{Cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/man-critical-after-stabbing-in-tesco-28609640.html |title=Man critical after stabbing in Tesco |newspaper=Belfasttelegraph |access-date=12 July 2020 |archive-date=12 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712175828/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/man-critical-after-stabbing-in-tesco-28609640.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="bbcmoffett">{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20353108 |title=David Madine admits trying to kill loyalist Harry Stockman |work=BBC News |date=16 November 2012 |access-date=12 July 2020 |archive-date=12 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712162824/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20353108 |url-status=live }}</ref> Fifty-year-old Stockman was stabbed more than 10 times in a supermarket in Belfast; the attack was believed to have been linked to the Moffett killing.<ref name="btmoffett" /><ref name="bbcmoffett" />

On 25–26 October 2010, the UVF was involved in rioting and disturbances in the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey with UVF gunmen seen on the streets at the time.<ref name="Rathcoole">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11636056 |publisher=BBC News |title=Police say UVF gunman seen in Rathcoole during trouble |date=27 October 2010 |access-date=22 June 2018 |archive-date=16 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916150204/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11636056 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Moffett">{{cite news |author=28 15 May:49:41 BST 2010 |url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/UVF-linked-to-brutal-killing.6328552.jp |title=UVF linked to brutal killing – Local |newspaper=News Letter |access-date=1 September 2011 |archive-date=4 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804004100/http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/UVF-linked-to-brutal-killing.6328552.jp |url-status=live }}</ref>

On the night of 20 June 2011, riots involving 500 people erupted in the [[Short Strand]] area of East [[Belfast]]. They were blamed by the PSNI on members of the UVF, who also said UVF guns had been used to try to kill police officers.<ref name=BoE>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/is-uvfrsquos-lsquobeast-in-the-eastrsquo-behind-new-wave-of-riots-16015101.html Is UVF’s ‘Beast in the East’ behind new wave of riots?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626033646/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/is-uvfrsquos-lsquobeast-in-the-eastrsquo-behind-new-wave-of-riots-16015101.html |date=26 June 2011 }}, ''[[Belfast Telegraph]]'', 23 June 2011</ref> The UVF leader in East Belfast, who is popularly known as the "Beast of the East" and "Ugly Doris" also known as by real name Stephen Matthews, ordered the attack on Catholic homes and a church in the Catholic enclave of the Short Strand. This was in retaliation for attacks on Loyalist homes the previous weekend and after a young girl was hit in the face with a brick by Republicans.<ref name=BoE/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/community-telegraph/east-belfast/news/attack-on-girl-blamed-for-trouble-16015238.html |title=Attack on girl blamed for trouble |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=23 June 2011 |access-date=1 September 2011 |archive-date=20 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020121943/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/community-telegraph/east-belfast/news/attack-on-girl-blamed-for-trouble-16015238.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A dissident Republican was arrested for "the attempted murder of police officers in east Belfast" after shots were fired upon the police.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13894198 |title=BBC News – Man held over East Belfast police murder bid |publisher=BBC News |date=23 June 2011 |access-date=1 September 2011 |archive-date=28 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828071749/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13894198 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2011, a UVF flag flying in [[Limavady]] was deemed legal by the PSNI after the police had received complaints about the flag from nationalist politicians.<ref>[http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/uvf_flag_is_legal_cops_1_2834359 UVF flag is legal-Cops] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707133716/http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/uvf_flag_is_legal_cops_1_2834359 |date=7 July 2011 }} ''Derry Journal''</ref>

During the [[Belfast City Hall flag protests]] of 2012–13, senior UVF members were confirmed to have actively been involved in orchestrating violence and rioting against the PSNI and the Alliance Party throughout Northern Ireland during the weeks of disorder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.u.tv/news/UVF-members-behind-flag-trouble/88468242-4c5a-4e07-a3c4-3dba8ad46ed4|title=UVF members 'behind flag trouble'|work=u.tv|access-date=20 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129151851/http://www.u.tv/news/UVF-members-behind-flag-trouble/88468242-4c5a-4e07-a3c4-3dba8ad46ed4|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> Much of the UVF's orchestration was carried out by its senior members in East Belfast, where many attacks on the PSNI and on residents of the Short Strand enclave took place.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} There were also reports that UVF members fired shots at police lines during a protest.<ref name=McKittrick130107>{{cite news |last=McKittrick |first=David |date=7 January 2013 |title=Surge in Belfast violence blamed on resurgent UVF |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/surge-in-belfast-violence-blamed-on-resurgent-uvf-29011837.html |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=31 July 2014 |archive-date=8 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808055659/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/surge-in-belfast-violence-blamed-on-resurgent-uvf-29011837.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The high levels of orchestration by the leadership of the East Belfast UVF, and the alleged ignored orders from the main leaders of the UVF to stop the violence has led to fears that the East Belfast UVF has now become a separate loyalist paramilitary grouping which doesn't abide by the UVF ceasefire or the Northern Ireland Peace Process.<ref name=McAleese130111>{{cite news |last=McAleese |first=Deborah |date=11 January 2013 |title=The Beast from East Belfast could put an end to flags violence right now... but he won't |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/the-beast-from-east-belfast-could-put-an-end-to-flags-violence-right-now-but-he-wont-29013680.html |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=31 July 2014 |archive-date=8 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052645/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/the-beast-from-east-belfast-could-put-an-end-to-flags-violence-right-now-but-he-wont-29013680.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/06/24/east-belfast-uvf-mission-accomplished/|title=East Belfast UVF: Mission Accomplished?|work=Slugger O'Toole|access-date=20 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023640/http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/06/24/east-belfast-uvf-mission-accomplished/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2013, the policing board announced that the UVF was still heavily involved in gangsterism despite its ceasefire. Assistant chief constable Drew Harris in a statement said "The UVF are subject to an organised crime investigation as an organised crime group. The UVF very clearly have involvement in drug dealing, all forms of gangsterism, serious assaults, intimidation of the community."<ref name="BBC News" />

In November 2013, after a series of shootings and acts of intimidation by the UVF, Police Federation Chairman Terry Spence declared that the UVF ceasefire was no longer active. Spence told Radio Ulster that the UVF had been "engaged in murder, attempted murder of civilians, attempted murder of police officers. They have been engaged in orchestrating violence on our streets, and it's very clear to me that they are engaged in an array of mafia-style activities. "They are holding local communities to ransom. On the basis of that, we as a federation have called for the respecification of the UVF [stating that its ceasefire is over]."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/18/ulster-volunteer-force-ceasefire-police |title=Ulster Volunteer Force is no longer on ceasefire, police warn |author=Henry McDonald |work=The Guardian |date=18 November 2013 |access-date=20 November 2014 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129074149/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/18/ulster-volunteer-force-ceasefire-police |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2017, [[Gary Haggarty]], former UVF commander for north Belfast and south-east Antrim, pleaded guilty to 200 charges, including five murders.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40379903 |title=Gary Haggarty: Ex-senior loyalist pleads guilty to 200 terror charges |date=23 June 2017 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=2017-06-23 |archive-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024162220/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40379903 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 23 March 2019, eleven alleged UVF members were arrested during a total of 14 searches conducted in Belfast, [[Newtownards]] and [[Comber]] and the suspects, aged between 22 and 48, were taken into police custody for questioning. Officers from the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Task Force also seized drugs, cash and expensive cars and jewellery in an operation carried out against the criminal activities of the UVF crime gang.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/police-seize-drugs-and-arrest-11-during-raids-on-east-belfast-uvf-37942445.html |title=Police seize drugs and arrest 11 during raids on east Belfast UVF |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=2019-06-24 |archive-date=25 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625021622/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/police-seize-drugs-and-arrest-11-during-raids-on-east-belfast-uvf-37942445.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/nine-men-charged-after-east-belfast-uvf-police-raids-37943520.html |title=Nine men charged after east Belfast UVF police raids |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=2019-06-24 |archive-date=25 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625021622/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/nine-men-charged-after-east-belfast-uvf-police-raids-37943520.html |url-status=live }}</ref>