Police pelted with bottles in Belfast

Police were pelted with bricks, bottles and pieces of masonry during disturbances close to a sectarian interface in Belfast last night.

Up to 60 youths were involved in the disorder, which broke out just after 7pm yesterday at Castlereagh Street in the east of the city.

Officers came under attack as they tried to move a crowd that had gathered close to the nationalist Short Strand.

Chief Inspector David Moore, area commander for east Belfast, said: “A range of missiles including bricks, blocks and bottles were thrown at the officers.

“One of the local neighbourhood sergeants was hit with masonry on the shoulder and injured.

“The windscreen of one of the police Land Rovers was also smashed.”

Police have launched an investigation to identify those involved in the trouble.

Mr Moore added: “This behaviour is totally unacceptable and a police investigation has begun to identify youths involved.”

Since April, there have been about 60 arrests for interface-related disorder in east Belfast.