Rioters in Belfast were condemned for “lawless violence” today after police resorted to plastic bullets and water cannon to quell a fifth night of disorder over the Union Flag row.
Eight people including two women were arrested after police were attacked with petrol bombs, hatchets, paint bombs, fireworks and lumps of masonry.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said the “disgraceful” scenes were damaging Northern Ireland’s economy.
“The situation is very depressing; these scenes of lawless violence are doing huge damage to Northern Ireland’s reputation abroad,” she said.
“I find it just disgraceful that people who say they are patriotically defending our Union Flag resort to these types of tactics.”
The disorder follows loyalist protests at a decision to reduce the number of days the Union Flag flies above Belfast City Hall.
Hundreds of youths clashed in the streets after some 250 loyalist demonstrators returning from a peaceful demonstration outside City Hall were attacked by a group of 70 young people who hurled abuse and missiles at them as they marched past the republican Short Strand. Police attempted to separate the groups but some rioters attacked officers and smashed police vehicles with hatchets and sledgehammers.
Protesters built a barricade in the road and set it on fire. There were reports of an attempted lorry hijack near Albertbridge Road and a car hijack in Templemore Avenue.
Five baton rounds were fired and water cannon used before calm was restored at around 10pm. Since the protests began, 60 police officers have been injured and 100 people arrested.
Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott yesterday claimed that members of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force were orchestrating the street violence.
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Death threats have been issued to council members who last month voted to stop the Union Flag from being flown except on designated days, despite opposition from Unionists.
