RIOTS A BELFAST, VENTIDUE POLIZIOTTI FERITI

Police in riot gear on Oldpark Road in Belfast (UTV)
A bus which was hijacked on the Falls Road and driven at police has crashed on bonfire night, amid violence across Belfast in which two officers were injured.
The hijacked bus was being driven at a police line on the Donegal Road when it crashed a short distance away.
Police say they are continuing to deal with trouble in the Broadway, Oldpark Road and Donegal Road areas of the city.
They have deployed and used the water cannon at Broadway after up to 200 people gathered in the area.
A police spokeswoman said crowds are attacking police “with missiles and stones”.
There are initial reports of two police officers receiving injuries which may require hospital treatment.
Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Tense stand-off in Oldpark area. Police coming under steady attack from crowd of around 100 mostly youths. Trouble also in Broadway area.
UTV Reporter Marc Mallett on Twitter (@MarcMallett_UTV)
A number of petrol bombs, stones and other missiles have been thrown at officers in the Oldpark Road area.
The Fire and Rescue Service says its efforts to deal with a small number of bonfire related incidents in the city are being hampered by the violence.
“One of our Fire Appliances has been damaged and this will be unavailable to the public until a replacement appliance can be brought into service in the next few hours”, NIFRS said in a statement.
“We would appeal to all members of the community to assist our firefighters in their efforts to protect our community.”
Motorists are being advised to avoid the Broadway, Oldpark Road and Donegal Road areas.
Calm was restored on the Limestone Road after what police called “an earlier minor disturbance”.
No arrests have been made at this stage.
“Police continue to liaise with community representatives in an effort to maintain calm,” a PSNI spokeswoman said.
Earlier PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay appealed to those with influence to “stay calm” over the next 48 hours, as the marching season reaches its height.
He called for community restraint as a “significant” security operation swings into place for the Twelfth of July, which he described as the “most demanding day of the year.”
“This is a period of heightened tension and I’m here to appeal for those who have a particular ability to influence, to stay calm, to stay collected, to talk to one another,” he said.
His comments echoed those of the First and Deputy First Ministers, who warned against actions that would “drag us back to the past”, in the wake of serious rioting in Co Antrim at the weekend.

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