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| Police car petrol-bombed opposite MP Naomi Long's office | Police car petrol-bombed opposite MP Naomi Long's office |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Ulster Unionist leader has called for an end to loyalist street protests after loyalists threw a petrol bomb into a car as a policewoman sat inside. | |
| Police are treating the attack close to Alliance Party MP Naomi Long's east Belfast office as attempted murder. | |
| A gang of six men smashed the car's back window and threw in the bomb at about 19:35 GMT on Monday. The woman escaped unhurt. | |
| The violence is to be raised in the House of Commons later on Tuesday. | The violence is to be raised in the House of Commons later on Tuesday. |
| It followed loyalist protests about last week's decision by Belfast City Council to fly the union flag at city hall only on certain days, instead of all year round. | It followed loyalist protests about last week's decision by Belfast City Council to fly the union flag at city hall only on certain days, instead of all year round. |
| In the past week, as trouble flared across Northern Ireland, 29 police officers were injured and 38 people have been arrested. | |
| Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said on Tuesday that violence associated with protests could not be tolerated. | |
| "It is anti-British to attack | |
| Ms Long, the MP for East Belfast, received a death threat last week. A police car has been stationed outside her Newtownards Road office since then. | |
| Condemning Monday night's attack, Ms Long said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the car was targeted because it was undertaking patrols in the vicinity of my office and I find that absolutely repugnant." | Condemning Monday night's attack, Ms Long said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the car was targeted because it was undertaking patrols in the vicinity of my office and I find that absolutely repugnant." |
| She said recent attacks on the Alliance Party bore "all the hallmarks of a pogrom". | She said recent attacks on the Alliance Party bore "all the hallmarks of a pogrom". |
| Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries as a result of this attack. | Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries as a result of this attack. |
| "I am urgently appealing to those involved in ongoing protests to listen to their political leaders and step back from protest activity before someone is seriously injured or killed." | "I am urgently appealing to those involved in ongoing protests to listen to their political leaders and step back from protest activity before someone is seriously injured or killed." |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said MPs would be given the opportunity to air their views on the violence in Parliament later on Tuesday. She said it was "totally unacceptable". | Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said MPs would be given the opportunity to air their views on the violence in Parliament later on Tuesday. She said it was "totally unacceptable". |
| "It is incredibly important that those involved listen to the political leadership," she said. | "It is incredibly important that those involved listen to the political leadership," she said. |
| Labour's shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker said the government needed to act. | Labour's shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker said the government needed to act. |
| Barricades | Barricades |
| There was also rioting in the loyalist Village area of south Belfast on Monday night. | There was also rioting in the loyalist Village area of south Belfast on Monday night. |
| Police were attacked with petrol bombs, bricks, masonry, bottles and fireworks, and attempts were made to put burning barricades across roads. | Police were attacked with petrol bombs, bricks, masonry, bottles and fireworks, and attempts were made to put burning barricades across roads. |
| Police responded with water cannon. | Police responded with water cannon. |
| At the Short Strand/Castlereagh Street junction in east Belfast, riot police separated rival crowds throwing missiles, although a small crowd of nationalist youths continued to stone police Land Rovers for a period. | At the Short Strand/Castlereagh Street junction in east Belfast, riot police separated rival crowds throwing missiles, although a small crowd of nationalist youths continued to stone police Land Rovers for a period. |
| Police are also investigating reports of an attack on a bar in Thomas Street, Armagh, which is owned by the husband of a Sinn Fein councillor. | Police are also investigating reports of an attack on a bar in Thomas Street, Armagh, which is owned by the husband of a Sinn Fein councillor. |
| It was reported that at about 21:00 GMT, windows in the bar were smashed and fireworks thrown inside. There were no reports of any injuries. | It was reported that at about 21:00 GMT, windows in the bar were smashed and fireworks thrown inside. There were no reports of any injuries. |
| Publican Bernard Rafferty said a loyalist protest march had been passing the bar at the time of the attack. | Publican Bernard Rafferty said a loyalist protest march had been passing the bar at the time of the attack. |
| "I was serving behind the bar and I noticed a crowd came by the window with union jacks - within 10 seconds I head the windows starting to go in," he said. | "I was serving behind the bar and I noticed a crowd came by the window with union jacks - within 10 seconds I head the windows starting to go in," he said. |
| "Next minute the door was bust open and there were large, what I thought at the time were pipe bombs, but they were large rockets fired into the bar." | "Next minute the door was bust open and there were large, what I thought at the time were pipe bombs, but they were large rockets fired into the bar." |
| At about 21:50 GMT, a car struck three men on the Newry Road in Armagh before being driven away. There was a loyalist protest in the area at the time. | At about 21:50 GMT, a car struck three men on the Newry Road in Armagh before being driven away. There was a loyalist protest in the area at the time. |
| The men's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. A 17-year-old boy was arrested a short time later in the Cavanacaw Road area. | The men's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. A 17-year-old boy was arrested a short time later in the Cavanacaw Road area. |
| Alliance Party members and premises have been targeted since last Monday's vote on the city hall flag. | Alliance Party members and premises have been targeted since last Monday's vote on the city hall flag. |
| Alliance, Sinn Fein and SDLP councillors voted to limit the flying of the flag while the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionists (UUP) opposed the move. | Alliance, Sinn Fein and SDLP councillors voted to limit the flying of the flag while the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionists (UUP) opposed the move. |
| Rush-hour traffic was also disrupted in Belfast on Monday by a series of protests. | Rush-hour traffic was also disrupted in Belfast on Monday by a series of protests. |
| Some motorists moved less than a mile in the space of an hour. | Some motorists moved less than a mile in the space of an hour. |
| Police maintained a presence at a number of locations in the city as roads were blocked by crowds carrying union flags and banners. | Police maintained a presence at a number of locations in the city as roads were blocked by crowds carrying union flags and banners. |
| They said the biggest protest had been in Dundonald on Belfast's eastern outskirts, where about 500 people took part. | They said the biggest protest had been in Dundonald on Belfast's eastern outskirts, where about 500 people took part. |
| Monday was the eighth consecutive night on which loyalists have held demonstrations. | Monday was the eighth consecutive night on which loyalists have held demonstrations. |
| There have also been protests in towns such as Ballyclare, Limavady and Lisburn. But there was no violence. | There have also been protests in towns such as Ballyclare, Limavady and Lisburn. But there was no violence. |
| The Roads Service said salting operations in the Ballyclare area had been affected by protests and as a result some roads have not been treated. | The Roads Service said salting operations in the Ballyclare area had been affected by protests and as a result some roads have not been treated. |
| 'Bringing shame' | 'Bringing shame' |
| Meanwhile, First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson and Mike Nesbitt, the Ulster Unionist leader met on Monday night to discuss the flags issue. | Meanwhile, First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson and Mike Nesbitt, the Ulster Unionist leader met on Monday night to discuss the flags issue. |
| In a statement they said they had "agreed to work on a joint basis with a view to urgently bringing forward political proposals to address widespread concerns across the community. | In a statement they said they had "agreed to work on a joint basis with a view to urgently bringing forward political proposals to address widespread concerns across the community. |
| "Further discussions will take place tomorrow in order to finalise a strategy." | "Further discussions will take place tomorrow in order to finalise a strategy." |
| Both men condemned Monday night's attack on the police in east Belfast. | Both men condemned Monday night's attack on the police in east Belfast. |
| "The attempted murder of a police officer in east Belfast was a despicable act of terror," the first minister said. | "The attempted murder of a police officer in east Belfast was a despicable act of terror," the first minister said. |
| "The masked men responsible do not act in the name of our union flag. They are bringing shame on it." | "The masked men responsible do not act in the name of our union flag. They are bringing shame on it." |
| Mr Nesbitt said: "It was a cowardly act by a masked gang. There is nothing British about attacking police officers or blocking the entrance to an acute hospital to prevent ambulances getting in and out." | Mr Nesbitt said: "It was a cowardly act by a masked gang. There is nothing British about attacking police officers or blocking the entrance to an acute hospital to prevent ambulances getting in and out." |
| Meanwhile, the DUP is proposing a process of consultation on increasing the number of days the union flag is flown over Parliament Buildings at Stormont. | Meanwhile, the DUP is proposing a process of consultation on increasing the number of days the union flag is flown over Parliament Buildings at Stormont. |
| The proposal is due to be put forward by DUP MLA Peter Weir at Tuesday's meeting of the assembly commission - the cross-party group that manages the estate. | The proposal is due to be put forward by DUP MLA Peter Weir at Tuesday's meeting of the assembly commission - the cross-party group that manages the estate. |
| The flag currently flies over the building for 15 days a year. | The flag currently flies over the building for 15 days a year. |