29 officers injured as flag riots intensify in Belfast

Violence erupted after police failed to effectively steward loyalist demonstrators away from the nationalist Short Strand area as they returned from a city centre protest that afternoon.

Channel 4's Alex Thomson said police arrived at the "last moment" as loyalists rushed to the southern part of the estate.

They then exchanged volleys of rocks, bricks and fireworks with nationalists on the estate as well as targeting police with improvised battering rams.

Sein Fein local councillor Niall O Donnghailehas said it was the 15th "illegal march" past the Short Strand area.

He said 10 homes were attacked and residents intimidated.

"People do not come to 'peaceful protests' armed with bricks, bottles, golf balls and fireworks," he said.

"Before Christmas Sinn Fein stated our concerns that the organisers of these protests have consciously moved them closer to interface areas."

Party president Gerry Adams echoed the view that protests should be stopped.

"Most (protests) are being organised by the British National Party, the (loyalist paramilitary) UVF and criminal elements, some of whom are well known drug pushers. They are seeking to exploit this situation for their own ends."

He called for all political parties, church and civic leaders to come together to ensure the continued peace protest, similar to the summit organised after dissident republicans killed two British soldiers in 2009.

"The tiny minorities who want to cling to the past must be rejected. Sectarianism must be tackled and ended," he said.

On Friday night rioters threw more than 30 petrol bombs at police in Co Antrim.

In Newtownabbey loyalists refused to let a pensioner through their roadblock to visit his seriously ill wife in hospital, chanting "Cheerio" as they turned him away.

And anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate revealed at the weekend that convicted sectarian killer Glen Kane was representing the BNP at flag protests.

He was jailed for nine years for being part of a loyalist mob who beat a Catholic man to death during rioting in 1992.