LOYALISTS attacked police protecting parishioners who were leaving Mass at the Harryville Catholic church in Ballymena, Co Antrim, on Saturday evening.
Mr David Tweed, the former Irish rugby international and now a DUP councillor for Ballymena, took part in the 200 strong protest. He is also a member of Dunloy Orange Lodge and the Dunloy branch of the Apprentice Boys of Derry.
The loyalists are demanding the right to march in the nationalist village of Dunloy, 12 miles away, without needing to negotiate with residents there.
A large police contingent attempted to prevent protesters reaching the church on Saturday by forming lines across the Larne Road. Just before parishioners left Mass, RUC officers in riot gear tried to force the protesters away from the church.
This infuriated the crowd, which then carried out a sustained brick and bottle attack on the RUC. Others hurled sectarian insults at the Catholic congregation.
There were accusations by protesters that the police were heavy handed, although one female and two male officers were injured by missiles. One member of the public received head injuries.
Tension had been heightened by the banning of an Apprentice Boys parade through Dunloy last Sunday. The RUC is also under severe pressure - the homes of three officers have been petrol bombed in Ballymena in the past week.
Askeel to assess the situation in Harryville, Mr Tweed said: "If they had used half as much force in Dunloy as they did in Harryville tonight, the parades would be going ahead as usual in Dunloy.
"I think to confront a crowd that wants to hold a protest actually on the road with riot gear is only going to cause offence."
At 7.30 p.m. the police forced the crowd towards the loyalist estate of Ballykeel. There a van owned by a Catholic firm, F.P. McCann of Magherafelt, was set on fire.
The firm's employees were carrying out contract work on a water main which supplies Ballykeel. One of the company's diggers was driven into a large hole, cutting off the estate's water supply.
The RUC is to take action against some of those involved. Over the past few months they have secured a number of convictions using video evidence.
A police spokesman said: "Police moved in to clear the road when they came under heavy missile attack. Police actions ensured that worshippers were able to get to and from church safely."
The Mayor of Ballymena, Mr James Currie, who has stood in support with parishioners at the chapel, condemned the violence.
"If they want to protest peacefully, they are entitled to, but they must do so within the rule of law," he said. "If they claim they are loyal subjects of Her Majesty the Queen, then they should obey Her Majesty's security forces.
"When they go out and wreck and destroy they are doing the same job as the IRA and they are only hurting their own area and their own people. It's like someone fouling up their own patch and they should think long and hard about the damage they are doing in the long term to Ballymena."