Orangemen demand police talks

Orangemen parade through Belfast

Senior Orange Order officials have demanded a meeting with the Chief Constable, following minor disturbances at a parade in north Belfast.

Nationalists and loyalists threw bottles and other missiles across police and Army lines separating the groups, as Orangemen returned from a demonstration on the outskirts of south Belfast.

The trouble on Saturday evening in the nationalist Ardoyne area lasted just a few minutes and no-one was seriously hurt.

The parades commemorated Protestant Prince William of Orange's 1690 Battle of the Boyne victory over Catholic King James II.

More than 60,000 Orangemen took part in parades in 18 locations throughout the province.

The biggest parade took place in Belfast.

Some of the parades have proved controversial in the past, with violence flaring at interface areas in Belfast.

The Orange Order accused republicans of attacking the feeder parade, with a Grand Lodge spokesman saying the disturbance was a "sad but entirely predictable ambush".

Stone throwing

The institution wants a meeting with PSNI's Chief Constable Hugh Orde to discuss the situation.

Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said both sides were to blame for the stone throwing.

He said the whole issue of parades needed to be looked at again.

The disturbances in the Ardoyne area were on a much smaller scale than previous years.

Earlier on Saturday, an early morning parade by lodges near the Ardoyne area passed off peacefully.

A legal challenge by nationalist residents on Friday failed to have the march re-routed.

The Parades Commission had ruled the parade could pass the area on its way to the main demonstration at Edenderry, on the outskirts of south Belfast.

About 100 nationalist protesters gathered with placards bearing the slogan "No Talk, No Walk," while a similar number of supporters on the loyalist side cheered as the Orangemen passed.

Warned

Meanwhile, participants in an illegal Orange march in County Londonderry could face prosecution, police have warned.

About 80 people took part in the parade in Coleraine on Friday night, ignoring the police's warning that the parade was illegal.

Several missiles were thrown at officers who were preventing marchers from entering the town centre.

Speaking on Sunday, Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle said that the necessary notice of intention to hold a parade was required by law.

"My officers are currently reviewing evidence captured on CCTV and those involved can rightly expect to face prosecution," he added.