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| Union flag dispute: Trouble flares at Short Strand interface after protest | Union flag dispute: Trouble flares at Short Strand interface after protest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A number of petrol bombs have been thrown at a sectarian interface in east Belfast, following a loyalist street protest over the union flag. | A number of petrol bombs have been thrown at a sectarian interface in east Belfast, following a loyalist street protest over the union flag. |
| It happened in the nationalist Short Strand area on Monday evening. | |
| Two buses have been hijacked in the east of the city and one bus driver has been injured. He was taken to hospital. | |
| Police have said they are dealing with disorder on the nearby Newtownards Road. It has been closed between Templemore Avenue and Bridge End. | Police have said they are dealing with disorder on the nearby Newtownards Road. It has been closed between Templemore Avenue and Bridge End. |
| Sinn Fein has claimed that homes on Strand Walk in the Short Strand came under petrol bomb attack by a crowd of union flag protesters who had gathered on the Newtownards Road. | |
| Niall O'Donnaighaile, who represents Sinn Fein on Belfast City Council, claimed a group of people with special needs "were forced to flee" a parochial hall attached to St Matthew's Catholic church on Bryson Street. | |
| Ciaran Rogan from Translink confirmed that the injured bus driver has sustained cuts to his face. The company has suspended all of its metro bus services in east Belfast. | |
| At the weekend, 29 police officers were injured in rioting at the same interface, after a "breakaway crowd" of loyalist protesters marched past the Short Strand on their return from a city centre protest. | |
| Earlier on Monday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, said people who were organising riots were leading young people "by the nose towards prison". | Earlier on Monday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, said people who were organising riots were leading young people "by the nose towards prison". |
| Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for exactly six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to limit the number of days the union flag is flown at Belfast City Hall. | Loyalist street demonstrations have been taking place for exactly six weeks, since Belfast City Council voted to limit the number of days the union flag is flown at Belfast City Hall. |
| 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. |
| Since the vote was passed on 3 December, 101 police officers have been injured and there have been 112 arrests. | Since the vote was passed on 3 December, 101 police officers have been injured and there have been 112 arrests. |