Missiles thrown at police during north Belfast trouble

A number of fireworks and other missiles were thrown at police lines during disturbances in north Belfast on Tuesday evening. The police moved in after a crowd of about 200 people gathered in the Denmark Street area at about 22:00 BST. A police inspector suffered a hand injury during the disturbance, which lasted about an hour.

It was the third night of violence in the area which erupted as a result of tension surrounding a parades dispute. More than 60 police officers were injured and seven hospitalised during three nights of disturbances. A water canon was moved into the street at 23:00 BST but was not used. A short time later, the crowd of loyalists dispersed and police began scaling down their operation.

Earlier on Tuesday, a senior police officer challenged politicians to sort out the parades issue before someone was killed. Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr was speaking after a second night of violence - believed to be mainly loyalist - in north Belfast. ACC Kerr said he feared someone would be killed unless the violence in the Carlisle Circus area stopped.

On Monday night, petrol bombs, bricks, fireworks and stones were thrown at police. A van was hijacked and pushed into police lines. Two police officers were knocked unconscious by thrown missiles and another suffered a broken arm. Four water cannon were deployed by police. The area returned to calm at about 03:00 BST. Seven people were arrested and ACC Kerr said there would be more to follow.

ACC Kerr said he did not believe the violence was officially sanctioned by any loyalist paramilitary groups. But he said members of these groups had been involved in the trouble. He challenged politicians and community leaders to "sort this out, and sort it out now," ahead of a planned loyalist Ulster Covenant parade on 29 September.

On Sunday night, 47 police officers were injured during disturbances in the same area, following a republican parade. Police said as many as 350 loyalists were involved in rioting. It has been claimed the loyalists were angry that the republican parade had no restrictions placed on it by the Parades Commission, which makes determinations on contentious marches in Northern Ireland.

Winston Irvine, of the loyalist North and West Belfast Parades Forum, dismissed as "sheer rubbish" claims that the violence was orchestrated by paramilitaries.

Source: BBC