Belfast residents have complained about the disruption caused by filming for U2's latest video in the city’s New Lodge area. Some have also voiced concerns that the band are “cashing in on the Troubles” with their latest shoot, which has included scenes of burning vehicles and actors playing wounded victims. 

u2U2's latest video shoot has angered some Belfast residents

The band themselves were not on set as the scenes were filmed for the video which is believed to be for ‘Every Breaking Wave’ from their latest album, Songs of Innocence. The Belfast Telegraph reports that “smoke was seen billowing from the New Lodge area” as scenes were filmed in a street of disused terrace houses.

Images from the set also showed people fleeing from what appeared to be a bomb explosion and some extras were seen laying on the rubble by a burnt-out car as others were helped from the scene limping. The scenes have caused some to suggest that the band are "cashing in on the Troubles" and bringing back painful memories.

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One man told the Belfast Telegraph, "U2 were apparently trying to stage something like a bomb that happened here in the Troubles and I couldn't believe they would do that". Another man told the paper that the shoot reminded them of the "bad days of the Troubles", while a woman said: "It looked like a film set, exciting, with big lights on. A lot of people were around it."

However some residents are also angry about the disruption caused by the filming with the Irish Independent reporting one man claiming cars on set had stopped social care workers parking next to the home of an elderly couple and a business owner saying the shoot was stopping people from parking at her premises.

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Last night a spokesman for the production company behind the video defended it saying,  "It has been taken out of all proportion. We have no further comment to make."

While actor and director Dan Gordon told the Belfast Telegraph people needed to stop playing the "blame game". "People rush to look at the negative. U2 aren't setting out to paint us or themselves in a poor light. They are there to expose stuff and talk about it," said Gordon. "Nobody even knows what the song is about and we are rushing to play the blame game."