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| Loyalists and nationalists clash after Belfast flags protest | Loyalists and nationalists clash after Belfast flags protest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Loyalists and nationalists have clashed in east Belfast after a union flag protest in the city centre on Saturday. | Loyalists and nationalists have clashed in east Belfast after a union flag protest in the city centre on Saturday. |
| It happened as loyalists returned from a demonstration at city hall, against the council's decision to limit the number of days the union flag is flown. | It happened as loyalists returned from a demonstration at city hall, against the council's decision to limit the number of days the union flag is flown. |
| Rocks and fireworks were thrown at Albertbridge Road, near the nationalist Short Strand. Police used water cannon and fired a number of plastic bullets. | Rocks and fireworks were thrown at Albertbridge Road, near the nationalist Short Strand. Police used water cannon and fired a number of plastic bullets. |
| Five officers were injured in the violence at Castlereagh Street. | Five officers were injured in the violence at Castlereagh Street. |
| Two were taken to hospital. | Two were taken to hospital. |
| The trouble began at about 14:30 GMT on Saturday. | The trouble began at about 14:30 GMT on Saturday. |
| Riot police intervened to separate the crowds at the Short Strand interface. | Riot police intervened to separate the crowds at the Short Strand interface. |
| A BBC reporter in the area said officers moved the loyalist crowd back from the interface. A car was later set on fire at the junction of Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue. Police are still under attack from bricks, bottles and fireworks. | A BBC reporter in the area said officers moved the loyalist crowd back from the interface. A car was later set on fire at the junction of Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue. Police are still under attack from bricks, bottles and fireworks. |
| Earlier, nearly 1,000 people took part in a flag protest at Belfast City Hall. | Earlier, nearly 1,000 people took part in a flag protest at Belfast City Hall. |
| Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for almost six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to change its longstanding union flag policy on 3 December. | Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for almost six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to change its longstanding union flag policy on 3 December. |
| The council, which now has a nationalist majority, voted to fly the flag at Belfast City Hall on a number of designated days, as opposed to every day of the year. | The council, which now has a nationalist majority, voted to fly the flag at Belfast City Hall on a number of designated days, as opposed to every day of the year. |
| The majority of the street demonstrations have passed without incident, but some have resulted in serious rioting. | The majority of the street demonstrations have passed without incident, but some have resulted in serious rioting. |
| On Friday night, four police officers were injured during union flag protests in Northern Ireland. The most serious violence took place outside Belfast - in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus in County Antrim. Officers fired five plastic bullets as rioters threw more than 30 petrol bombs. | |
| Fireworks, petrol bombs and rocks were used to attack police in Newtownabbey and a bus was set alight near the Rathcoole estate. A crowd of more than 100 loyalists threw missiles at police in Carrickfergus. Two arrests were made and of the four police officers who were injured, one required hospital treatment. | |
| Dozens of police officers have been injured in 40 days of protests and more than 100 people have been arrested. | Dozens of police officers have been injured in 40 days of protests and more than 100 people have been arrested. |
| Friday's protests - most of which passed without violence - took place in Counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Londonderry. | Friday's protests - most of which passed without violence - took place in Counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Londonderry. |
| Pensioner jeered | Pensioner jeered |
| However, in County Antrim, police used water cannon during trouble on the Shore Road in Whiteabbey and also in Newtownabbey, where a PSNI Land Rover with a CCTV camera on the roof was set alight with a petrol bomb. | However, in County Antrim, police used water cannon during trouble on the Shore Road in Whiteabbey and also in Newtownabbey, where a PSNI Land Rover with a CCTV camera on the roof was set alight with a petrol bomb. |
| In Rathcoole in Newtownabbey, a distressed pensioner pleaded with protesters to let him pass through a road block so he could make his way to visit his seriously ill wife in hospital. | In Rathcoole in Newtownabbey, a distressed pensioner pleaded with protesters to let him pass through a road block so he could make his way to visit his seriously ill wife in hospital. |
| The protesters jeered at the elderly man and refused to let him through. | The protesters jeered at the elderly man and refused to let him through. |
| The chairman of one of the groups behind the flag protests said he could not support people being stopped from getting to hospitals but that disruption was inevitable. | |
| Are you involved in the protests? Have you been affected by the violence? You can send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you involved in the protests? Have you been affected by the violence? You can send us your experiences using the form below. |