A flashpoint area of East Belfast remained largely peaceful last night following two nights of sectarian rioting.
An uneasy standoff between groups of loyalist and nationalist youths on the Mountpottinger Road end of the Short Strand earlier in the night was defused by community representatives, police said.
First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have embarked on an initiative aimed at reducing tensions that fuelled the serious violence over recent nights.
The PSNI yesterday confirmed that the Ulster Volunteer Force in east Belfast orchestrated the violence while it was dissident republicans who were responsible for the shooting that wounded Press Association photographer Niall Carson on Tuesday night.
Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness yesterday appointed a senior civil servant to liaise with local loyalist and nationalist communities to try to end the violence.
“The official has been asked to bring back a report promptly and make recommendations as to how problems in the area can be addressed. By working with local communities and agencies we want to ensure interface issues are tackled across Belfast,” Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness said in a statement.
The PSNI blamed much of the trouble on a resurgent UVF in east Belfast now understood to be under the control of a new and renegade local commander. Hundreds of marshalled men have attacked homes and police in and around the nationalist enclave of Short Strand.
Loyalist sources said that the trouble was mainly motivated by the UVF leader in east Belfast who is known by the nickname the “Beast from the East”. The sources said he had resisted attempts by other UVF leaders to curb his powers.
They said he is involved in serious crime such as drugs and extorting other criminals. The fact that he could organise up to 100 UVF members and supporters to attack the Short Strand area on Monday illustrated the power he wields, they said.
Three people have suffered gunshot wounds, and petrol bombs, bricks and other missiles have been thrown during protracted hours of rioting over recent nights. Police officers in full riot gear have responded with water cannons and dozens of plastic bullets. One woman has been arrested on suspicion of explosives offences.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay again blamed most of the trouble on the UVF. “Whether they have lost the influence to stop it, I don’t know,” he said. “But there certainly seems to be nothing to suggest that our position has changed, that the bulk of this violence is coming from the loyalist community and the UVF in east Belfast does have a role to play in that.”
Last night the PSNI was questioning a man about the violence in east Belfast and the attempted murder of a police officer. The 22-year-old from west Belfast was arrested in relation to dissident republican activity.