Rioters have taken to Belfast's streets for a second night with footage showing petrol bombs and missiles being thrown at police.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) warned the public to stay away from certain areas of the city on Monday night as they dealt with public disorder and violence.
At least one police car was burned with several other fires blazing on Monday evening in the Sandy Row and Donegall Road areas in the southern part of Belfast.
Police are dealing with ongoing disorder in the Donegall Road area of south Belfast tonight. The public should avoid the Donegall Road and Sandy Row areas. An update will be provided in due course. pic.twitter.com/EfsL8ajg0D
— Police South Belfast (@PSNIBelfastS) August 5, 2024
Around a dozen people wearing balaclavas and masks threw petrol bombs at PSNI vehicles as riot officers formed lines.
Earlier, a planned anti-immigration protest at a hotel in the city failed to materialise.
Belfast was one of several cities that saw anti-immigration riots on Saturday.
PSNI officers man roadblocks in Belfast following protests outside Belfast City Hall, 3-8-24. Image: PA Images / AlamyFireworks were thrown as police attempted to deal with a confrontation between anti-racist protesters and an anti-Islamic rally.
Rioters burned a cafe, a supermarket and several cars in the city with around 800 people involved.
Four men between the ages of 34 and 53 were charged over Saturday's violence.
Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are being recalled in the wake of the rioting in the city over the weekend.
A special meeting of Stormont will be held on Thursday to discuss violent disorder following an anti-immigration protest.
The Stormont parliament building in Belfast, 4-2-10. Image: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ieIn a letter to representatives, Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots said MLAs will discuss the anti-immigrant protest that happened in Belfast City Centre on Saturday.
They will debate the motion that the Assembly “condemns the criminal damage and targeting of businesses in recent days”.
Monday evening also saw unrest in the English city Plymouth that left several police officers injured.
Groups with links to the far-right have caused unrest in towns and cities across England in the wake of an attack in the English town of Southport last week.
They have repeatedly and violently clashed with police separating them from counter-protesters, throwing missiles, damaging buildings and looting shops.
Hundreds of people have been arrested so far.
Reporting by: IRN
