The Five Demands

Belfast flag protests: Loyalists clash with police after rally (BBC News Northern Ireland)

Earlier up to 2,000 people took part in a loyalist protest outside Belfast City Hall, which has stopped flying the union flag every day.

After the rally trouble broke out on the Newtownards Road at Holywood Arches as part of the crowd returned home.

Police had appealed for the protest to be called off. They have said loyalist paramilitaries have organised some of the recent violence over flags.

In Belfast on Friday, eight officers were injured and 13 people arrested in clashes between loyalists and police.

Six officers were injured in the Crumlin Road and Ligoneill Road area of north Belfast and two at Shaftesbury Square in the city centre.

Among those arrested was a boy aged 13.

Three people – two men, aged 18 and 29, and a 17-year-old boy – are due in court on Saturday.

Loyalists opposed to new restrictions on flying the union flag at Belfast city hall have been holding protests across Northern Ireland all week after the city council voted to fly the flag on about 20 designated days.

Nationalists at Belfast City Council had wanted the union flag taken down altogether, but in the end voted on a compromise from the Alliance party that it would fly on designated days.

Unionists have said they consider the changes regarding the union flag to be an attack on their cultural identity.

Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said: “Loyalist paramilitary groups are now actively involved in orchestrating this disorder and we’ve seen that in various parts of the greater Belfast area over the course of the last couple of nights.”

He said members of both the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) have been involved.

Trouble erupted when a crowd that was blocking the road attacked a van
“We’ve seen members of both groups actively involved in the violence, we’re now seeing senior members actively involved in orchestrating the violence.”

ACC Kerr called on those planning to protest in Belfast city centre on Saturday to “step back”.

“This is not the time, the place, the day, or the area to be involved in that protest. We have very significant concerns about public safety in Belfast city centre today,” he said.

“We have committed a very significant policing presence to Belfast city centre today to make sure we keep people safe. We will not accept violent or illegal behaviour today and we have the resources to deal with it.

“Please step back. This is a time for calm heads and reflection as we approach Christmas. This is not the time for thuggery disguised as protest.”

The home of an Alliance party councillor was attacked in County Down overnight.

The party said windows were smashed and a car also damaged at Linda Cleland’s house in Newtownards.

Water cannon were used by police during the trouble in south Belfast
“I saw this tall hooded person in my garden – I have a rockery – and they were lifting the boulders,” Councillor Cleland said.

“There were more bangs and I heard people on the roof and then I phoned 999.

“They’ve literally put in all my downstairs windows, they’ve put in all the windows of my car and they’ve put in one of my upstairs windows. I have never been so scared in my life, or felt so helpless.”

Belfast’s Christmas Market was temporarily closed and politicians have warned that the economy is being damaged on what should be some of the year’s busiest shopping days.

ACC Kerr said 27 police officers had been injured while dealing with disorder this week.

Politicians have appealed for the protests to stop.