Loyalists attack PSNI over Belfast City Hall flag row

Loyalist protesters attacked police with bottles and stones tonight in a new outbreak of violence after a decision to limit the flying of the Union flag above Belfast City Hall.

Trouble flared in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, where a crowd of up to 1,600 staged a rally – one of a number in towns across Northern Ireland in the aftermath of Monday night’s decision by Belfast councillors.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said a number of their officers were injured in the West Street area.

A building was also set alight. Unconfirmed reports said it housed the local offices of the non-sectarian Alliance Party whose members in Belfast voted in favour of the flag being taken down and flown only on designated days.

At one stage during tonight’s violence police fired a number of baton rounds in a bid to disperse the rioters who fired bottles, stones and other missiles.