Interface Rioting Greets Parading Proposals

On the eve of fresh proposals being announced to tackle Northern Ireland's ongoing parading difficulties, opposing factors are already stoking up sectarian hatred across a Belfast interface.

Up to 100 people gathered in east Belfast on Monday evening as rival groups threw stones at each other, police have said.

It was the second night of disturbances in the Mountpottinger and Albert Bridge areas.

On Sunday evening, three police vehicles were damaged following trouble in the area when stones and other missiles were hurled as rival nationalist and loyalist mobs clashed.

A police spokesman said the mob was broken up at around 12.30am after the violence on Sunday night - after local community representatives intervened.

The trouble involved up to 60 youths at its height and continued intermittently for several hours forcing the closure of a number of roads.

The PSNI said they had not established what sparked the clash, but there had been an Orange Parade in the lower Newtownards Road area earlier in the day, which passed off without incident but may have raised tensions in the area.

However, UUP councillor for the area, Micheal Copeland, claimed the riot was sparked by events on Sunday morning when nationalist youths allegedly tried to intimidate the Orange Order parade.

It was also inflamed by sectarian tensions that regularly surround an 'Old Firm' soccer match - where Celtic beat Rangers - on Sunday.

(BMcC/JM)