Police In Firing Line As Trouble Continues

The police continued to come in for attack last night with news that a blast bomb was thrown at Lurgan PSNI station.

The Police Service confirmed that what was described as a 'crude device' was thrown at the base at around 7.30pm on Wednesday night. The continuity IRA has claimed they carried out the attack.

While a PSNI spokesperson said no one was reported hurt in the blast and no damage was caused, it comes just hours after four officers were hurt dealing with inter-factional violence in east Belfast.

Yesterday, politicians on both sides of the community called for an end to the sectarian violence in east Belfast that saw the police officers injured on Tuesday night.

The officers were hurt during clashes in the Newtownards Road and Short Strand area.

It is not clear how or why the trouble broke out but there have been numerous clashes in the area recently, beginning soon after a weekend of tension surrounding the contentious Army 'Homecoming' parade through Belfast.

While that event passed off peacefully, the east Belfast area has since seen petrol bombs, large fireworks and other missiles thrown during several incidences of rioting - with a main route being closed for a time in the disturbances.

DUP MLA for the area Robin Newton said the escalation in the violence was worrying. "It is very concerning - we don't want to go back to the days when we had nightly rioting.

"I'd like to condemn the fact that four police officers were hurt - that's a very worrying turn of events."

Sinn Fein east Belfast representative Niall Ó Donnghaile also condemned those involved and called for an immediate end to the violence.

"Community and statutory representatives and groups must build on the good work that has taken place and all of us must collectively tackle this issue together around the table before someone is seriously injured or worse," he said.

See: East Belfast Rocked By Street Violence