The PSNI employed the use of water cannon to break up rioting in Belfast today following an Orange march in the city. Rioting broke out on the nationalist Springfield road after the contentious march passed through the area.
The controversial march passed through the nationalist area at the junction of Ainsworth Avenue and March Street and the junction of Springfield Parade and Springfield Road.
It is understood that Police ranks were about to break up when they were attacked by stone-throwers to which they responded by calling in water cannon. The situation is then understood to have escalated with up to 400-500 rioters battling the police.
The Whiterock area had been tense for much of the day as nationalists prepared to protest against the Orange march. Police in riot gear held them back from the parade route.
The Northern Ireland Parades Commission had ordered the Orange Order not to play music along the controversial route but nationalist residents were angry that no route restrictions were placed on the parade.
Last year, minor scuffles took place following the parade.
Two years ago, the Orange parade was dogged by a controversy over a loyalist paramilitary colour party which joined the march on two occasions.
A nationalist residents' group representative said the violence erupted when police failed to pull out of the area once the Orange marchers had passed.
Sean Paul O'Hare, of Springfield Residents' Action Group, said: "The PSNI did not pull out even though we had asked them to do so.
"I think that these disturbances were an indication of just how angry people in the community are.
"They were angry at this decision to allow the march through with no route restriction and feel the Parades Commission have put the community into a corner.
"We went to them with positive proposals and those were rejected. The police have also not helped matters by their handling of the parade."
The disturbances come as tensions increased overnight in East Belfast when two police officers were injured and a house destroyed during another night of violence along the area's nationalist/loyalist interface.
Progressive Unionist leader David Ervine accused republicans in the Short Strand of deliberately escalating tensions after a house in loyalist Cluan Place was gutted in a fire and police came under attack in Clandeboye Gardens.
However, Sinn Féin councillor Joe O'Donnell insisted the rioting began when loyalists attacked nationalist homes with pipe bombs.
Police were pelted with petrol bombs, stones, bricks and blast bombs by a crowd of 150 people in the nationalist Clandeboye Gardens when they were called to the area at about 3 a.m.
The injuries sustained by the two officers were not life threatening.
Loyalist Assembly member David Ervine believed the violence was politically motivated.
"I think there are a number of political games being played," the East Belfast MLA said.
"There are a group of American observers due to take their position in the area because of a parade, so what better than to get the Prods wound up before those observers take their place?
"I hope those behind the orchestration realise just how far they are pushing everyone."
Mr O'Donnell said the trouble began between 11.30 p.m. and midnight last night from the loyalist side, with stones, bottles and bricks thrown from Cluan Place at nationalist homes.
"It continued right up to 2.30 a.m. when a number of blast bombs were thrown," he claimed.
"I actually witnessed two of them being thrown over the wall, with the then result of petrol bombs being thrown from the Clandeboye Drive area and regrettably a number of houses being damaged."
PA