Picture gallery: Loyalist protests

Protests called by the Orange Order over the disputed Drumcree parade paralysed many parts of Northern Ireland on Monday. By 4pm on Monday most of Belfast city centre - pictured above - was closed.

The first protests saw members of the Orange Order take their banners to the streets of Belfast and other areas of Northern Ireland.

After the 4pm official start of the protests passed, many of the loyalist protesters formed impromptu road blocks - mainly by simply standing in the street blocking traffic.

Long before Belfast's normal rush hour, the protestant Shankill Road area was all but deserted.

Many commuters rushed to leave Belfast fearing that the main roads and motorways would be blocked - their fears were justified.

By 6pm the protests were in full swing - this one took place at the Carlisle Circus area of north Belfast.

One of those looking on was Johnny Adair, the convicted UFF loyalist paramilitary leader who has also visited the scene of the Drumcree stand-off.

In Lurgan, the mood turned ugly as riot police moved in to prevent a potential clash between this large loyalist group and nationalists.

And in Carrickfergus, there was the first of many vehicle hijackings.

With only days to go before the traditonal Protestant 12 July celebrations, the mood across Northern Ireland is tense with few predicting the outcome of the protests.