Flanagan calls on politicians to help end north Belfast violence

Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan has called on community and political leaders to make an effort to bring several nights of fierce rioting in north Belfast to an end.

The Chief Constable made the appeal after 13 police officers were injured and a woman was shot in the leg during another night of rioting by loyalist protesters in the north of the city.

Nearly 30 shots were fired at security forces, who were trying to contain an estimated 250 loyalists on Cambrai Street off the Crumlin Road. During the disturbances, a large crowd of rioters threw stones and fireworks and between 90 and 100 petrol bombs at police lines. Four vehicles were also hijacked and set alight.

Security forces have said they came under fire on seven separate occasions and that 29 shots were fired. In response, police fired eight baton rounds in an attempt to disperse the rioters and subsequently made one arrest for riotous behaviour.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Sir Ronnie said he had “no doubt” paramilitary organisations were involved in recent rioting in Belfast.

He commented: “I have no doubt that over the past two evenings individual members of the UVF have been involved, although we would have little doubt that the main organisation is the UDA.”

Meanwhile, on Friday morning, seven children who attend a mixed Catholic and Protestant school were cut by flying glass after a concrete block was thrown at their school bus in north Belfast. The children, all between 12 and 16 years old were travelling to Hazelwood College. (AMcE)