The Five Demands

Officer hit by petrol bomb in city clashes (UTV)

A police officer has been hit by a petrol bomb as sporadic violence, which flared for a second night in north Belfast, continued into the night.

A PSNI spokesman said riot police continue to deal with disorder in the Woodvale Road area of the city after loyalist crowds gathered on Saturday evening.

“One officer has been struck by a petrol bomb. He was examined by medical staff and remains on duty,” he said.

Police lines have been pelted with missiles, including stones, bottles and fireworks.

A bin was set on fire by rioters.

It is understood a small group of masked youths have been involved in the disturbances.

Police moved in to create a no-go area between two parts of Woodvale Road. Water cannon has been deployed.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area.

Police have also responded to isolated incidents in the Rosapenna Street and North Queen Street areas of the city.

Meanwhile, crowds who gathered on Castlereagh Street in the east of the city have now dispersed.

A 40 year old man has been arrested in the area on suspicion of breach of the peace following the protest.

Castlereagh Street has reopened to traffic amid a heavy police presence in the area.

It comes after rioting, in which 32 police officers were injured, erupted on Friday night.

Trouble broke out on the Twelfth of July after the PSNI prevented an Orange Order march from passing the Ardoyne shop fronts, in accordance with a Parades Commission ruling.

Twenty officers were injured as missiles including bottles and bricks were thrown during six hours of violence.

North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds, who is also a member of the Orange Order, was hit on the head by an object thrown by loyalists at police and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance. He was later discharged.

There was also disorder in the lower Newtownards Road area of east Belfast. Twelve police were injured and one suffered a suspected broken jaw.

Four hundred extra police officers from Great Britain have been deployed to Northern Ireland following Friday’s troubles.

Earlier on Saturday evening, UTV reporter Marc Mallett said loyalists staged a peaceful protest at the top of Twadell Avenue in north Belfast.

He said the second night of violence in the city was not on the same scale as that of the previous night.

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