Ardoyne ‘worse than Alabama’:SF

Sinn Fein says the scenes at the Holy Cross Catholic School are worse than

those which occurred in Alabama and other US states during segregation.

The party’s Gerry Kelly has visited the school and met parents after this

morning's clashes, which happened while schoolgirls as young as four were trying to get to school.

Mr Kelly says loyalists must pull back from their blockades and "cannot be allowed to stop children going to school".

A massive security operation was mounted to get the girls into the school, but at one stage the building itself came under attack.

Three people were injured in the clashes.

The RUC attempted to arrange a safe passage for children and parents using riot shields and screens.

However loyalist protesters responded with fireworks, bottles and stones.

Many of the children were visibly frightened and burst into tears.