The Five Demands

Alliance Party Carrickfergus office attacked and set on fire (BBC News Northern Ireland)

Police at the scene of the trouble in Carrickfergus

Two men and two women have been arrested following the violence.

Police said that about 1,500 people had gathered at the Irish Gate roundabout earlier on Wednesday.

They were protesting against Belfast City Council’s decision to stop flying the union flag every day.

The crowd dispersed but some people stayed behind, trouble broke out and missiles, bottles and masonry were thrown at police.

The violence continued in nearby West Street, where Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson has a constituency office.

It was ransacked and the rioters tried to set it on fire. The building was smoke damaged.

Police fired a number of baton rounds at the crowd. They said a number of officers were injured in the riot.

By 22:20 GMT on Wednesday, police said that the trouble had come to an end, although they were maintaining a presence in Carrickfergus.

Meanwhile, Alliance leader David Ford has requested that the Northern Ireland Assembly be recalled on Thursday to discuss the attack.

Mr Dickson said what had happened was “an outright attack on democracy”.

“The police have informed me my office is on fire and all I can do is wait to see the extent of the damage,” he said.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson has condemned the attack.

“People are entitled to peacefully protest but there is absolutely no justification for the carnage which has been caused in Carrickfergus this evening,” he said.

“Those involved do a disservice to the flag they claim to defend. Today, in the House of Commons, several MPs backed the union flag being flown from city hall, however this criminal behaviour undermines and distracts from the argument.

“I urge those involved to step back from this criminal activity and channel their energies through democratic politics.”

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt MLA said violence was legally and morally wrong.

“What unionism needs today is brains, not brawn. We need an analysis, a strategy and an agreed outcome.’

“I am happy to talk to anyone, if they commit to repent and desist from violence.”

Meanwhile, in the centre of Lurgan, County Armagh, another loyalist flag protest has taken place.

Related articles

• Carrickfergus violence is ‘outright attack on democracy’ (itv.com)
• Northern Ireland police injured trying to defend office from rioters (guardian.co.uk)
• Report: PSNI officers hurt in Carrickfergus violence (itv.com)
• Offices set on fire in flag row (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
• Alliance Party offices set on fire in Belfast flag row (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
• Second night of Northern Irish riots ahead of Clinton visit (news.terra.com)
• Emeute loyaliste à Belfast – 5 décembre 2012 (berthoalain.com)
• Alliance Carrick office attacked (bbc.co.uk)
• Violence and fire-lighting is not the way forward #standingwithstewart (libdemsni.wordpress.com)
• Alliance offices targeted by Loyalists over flag decision (itv.com)