There was widespread rioting in north Belfast last night as sectarian tensions spilled over into street violence.
Security forces opened fire with baton rounds after riot police were injured by youths hurling rocks and petrol bombs in nationalist Ardoyne and Crumlin Road and loyalist Glenbryn Park.
The RUC said a blast bomb exploded at Glenbryn Park, causing minor injuries to at least one officer. Shots were fired and petrol and paint bombs hurled at police, who retaliated with plastic bullets. A road digger was later driven at police lines.
Two officers were injured in the Crumlin Road area. A car was seized and set on fire. Rioters were reported to have fired three shots in Ardoyne.
RUC Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said there were crowds of 400 to 600 involved in the violence.
"We have had a large number of petrol bombs thrown from crowds on both sides. We have had shots fired and a short time ago we had a blast bomb thrown at a police vehicle," he said.
The security forces had come under heavy stoning after stepping in to break up running battles between republicans and loyalists.
Tensions had heightened when a bomb exploded at the rear of a Catholic home in Alliance Avenue earlier in the afternoon. The device detonated near a garden shed at around 4.20 p.m. Two occupants of the house were uninjured.
Local politicians Mr Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein and Mr Billy Hutchinson of the PUP exchanged combative remarks as they attempted to mediate at disturbances near a Catholic primary school in Ardoyne early yesterday.
Mr Kelly accused the Ulster Defence Association of carrying out the attack.
"Loyalists have been involved in attacking schoolchildren and their parents in this area for the past number of days. This afternoon's bomb attack was an attempt to kill the people living in the house," he said.
