One man has been stabbed and five people arrested in a second night of violence in Ballycastle, Co Antrim.
The normally quiet seaside town witnessed confrontation in the early hours of yesterday between a gang in the North Street area and police officers. Stones and bottles were thrown at police who were called to a disturbance at about 2 a.m. Officers used CS spray during the violence. The arrests were made a short time later.
Two men were charged with offences including assault, resisting arrest and disorderly behaviour. In a later incident, a woman was seriously injured following an attack at about 4 a.m. She sustained facial injuries in the incident. One man was later arrested.
Mr Ian Paisley jnr, a North Antrim Assembly member, said the violence appeared to be drink-related. "I am very concerned that there is a deliberate flouting of the drinking in public places by-laws which has permitted an attitude of 'when the drink's in, the wit's out'. Clearly the local community must ensure that they insist that people behave and don't see the police as people to attack in this way."
Mr Michael Molloy, a local SDLP councillor, said that while he did not believe the incidents were sectarian, they could be designed to provoke conflict.
"I'm concerned that some of this may be organised, that these groups are getting together to cause problems for the local community and the police. I hope that the police presence will deter and make people desist from this type of action."
Meanwhile, eight suspicious packages, addressed to members of the Policing Board and to the Police Ombudsman, have been intercepted.They were discovered at two Royal Mail sorting offices at Mallusk, Co Antrim, and Coleraine, Co Derry.
Each contained white powder but this was later thought not to pose any danger to the public.
The parcels were sent to addresses in Belfast; Scarva and Newtownards in Co Down; and Larne, Co Antrim. Another parcel was sent to a politician's office in Coleraine.