Police in riot gear on the Albertbridge Road

LOYALISTS claim nationalists attacked homes in east Belfast in the early hours of Friday morning.

It came as detectives launched a probe after loyalists threw two petrol bombs at police following a flag protest in east Belfast on Friday evening.

Riot police came under attack around 7.45 pm at on the Lower Newtownards Road following a protest in the area.

Police said no one was injured and there was no damage caused.

Union flag protest co-ordinator Willie Frazer claimed that just before 2 am on Friday morning homes on the Newtownards Road facing Bryson Street were attacked.

The former director of FAIR told followers on Facebook: “A nationalist mob came out of the Short Strand from behind St Matthews Chapel and attacked Protestant homes on the Lower Newtownards Road.

Willie Frazer claims nationalists attacked homes in east Belfast

“Many windows were smashed and people – mainly women, children and old age pensioners were evacuated for their own safety.

“The local residents tried to defend the area from attack and were then abused by the PSNI which resulted in at least one woman being hurt. This happened in the early hours of Friday morning.”

A number of loyalist protests took place in Belfast and across Northern Ireland over the restricted flying of the union flag at Belfast city hall.

Police said they dealt with over 50 protests within an hour on Friday evening, most of which were peaceful.

A small numbers of protestors blocked the Boyne Bridge at Sandy Row, while Templemore Avenue at the Albertbridge Road and the Beersbridge Road in east Belfast were closed to traffic.

In south Belfast, Donegall Road at Broadway, Sandy Row and Upper Malone Road also had roads closed.

There were further protests in Bangor, Carrickfergus and Ballyclare.

This is the third week of ‘Operation Shutdown’ protests after Belfast City Council voted by 29-21 to only fly the Union flag on 17 designated days.

Following the vote at Belfast City Hall, trouble erupted at the rear entrace, with a number of protestors storming the grounds.

Most of the protests have been peaceful, serious public disorder flared in Carricfergus, Sandy Row, New Mossley, Lisburn and Newtownards Road.

Around 60 police officers have been left injured after they came under attack with masonry, bricks, bottles and petrol bombs.

Politicians have also been targeted during disorder, with Alliance constituency offices attacked and the party’s MP Naomi Long among the representatives who have been the subject of a death threat.

DETECTIVES are studying CCTV footage after two petrol bombs were thrown at police following a flag protest in east Belfast on Friday.

Riot police came under attack around 7.45 pm at on the Lower Newtownards Road following a protest in the area.

Police said no one was injured and there was no damage caused.

A number of loyalist protests took place in Belfast and across Northern Ireland over the restricted flying of the union flag at Belfast city hall.

Police said they dealt with over 50 protests within an hour on Friday evening, most of which were peaceful.

A small numbers of protestors blocked the Boyne Bridge at Sandy Row, while Templemore Avenue at the Albertbridge Road and the Beersbridge Road in east Belfast were closed to traffic.

In south Belfast, Donegall Road at Broadway, Sandy Row and Upper Malone Road also had roads closed.

There were further protests in Bangor, Carrickfergus and Ballyclare.

This is the third week of ‘Operation Shutdown’ protests after Belfast City Council voted by 29-21 to only fly the Union flag on 17 designated days.

Following the vote at Belfast City Hall, trouble erupted at the rear entrace, with a number of protestors storming the grounds.

Most of the protests have been peaceful, serious public disorder flared in Carricfergus, Sandy Row, New Mossley, Lisburn and Newtownards Road.

Around 60 police officers have been left injured after they came under attack with masonry, bricks, bottles and petrol bombs.

Politicians have also been targeted during disorder, with Alliance constituency offices attacked and the party’s MP Naomi Long among the representatives who have been the subject of a death threat.