Fresh trouble in east Belfast

Clearing up was under way after Monday's trouble

There has been a fresh outbreak of trouble in the Short Strand area of east Belfast.

There are reports of missiles being thrown from both sides of the peaceline at Madrid Street.

Crowds have gathered and the police are there, however the disturbances are not on the same scale as Monday night.

A senior policeman in east Belfast blamed Monday's trouble in the area on both nationalists and loyalists.

Shots were fired during sectarian clashes in Short Strand on Monday night. There were no reports of injuries.

Petrol bombs and other missiles were fired across the peaceline between the loyalist Cluan Place and nationalist Clandeboye Gardens.

Chief Inspector Mike Ellis said his officers witnessed shots being fired from the nationalist side.

Police have been trying to quell trouble

"Shortly after 2100 GMT a blast bomb exploded in Cluan Place and it was followed by shots which were witnessed by police coming from the Clandeboye side of the interface.

"Police cannot confirm whether live rounds were used. That precipitated widescale violence along the Albertbridge Road," he said.

Paul Hoey, who is a community worker in the area, said a gunman appeared on a wall and fired six shots.

"After that, a barrage of bricks and bottles and anything else they could put their hands on came over into Cluan Place," he said.

"While that was happening, there was an incursion into the loyalist side from the republican side of the Mountpottinger Road.

"Approximately three to four hundred nationalists threw everything they could get at the loyalist people."

Petrol bombs

But nationalists say they were shot at during the violence.

Clandeboye Drive resident Deborah Devenney said they came under attack first.

"There were eight petrol bombs thrown here tonight," she said.

"People's homes have been attacked all weekend. People are sitting without electric and people are under attack - vulnerable Catholic people are under attack.

"We are being persecuted because of our religion and that's the only reason."

The east Belfast interface had been the scene of regular disturbances during the summer but the trouble had died down over recent months.