Up to 400 nationalists and loyalists clashed during eight hours of rioting in Belfast, police said today. The violence erupted in Cluan Place and Clandeboye Gardens in the east of the city around 6pm yesterday.
Police have yet to establish a motive for the trouble but it is thought it may have been sparked by the Rangers v Celtic match in Glasgow yesterday afternoon.
At its height bottles, bricks and bolts were thrown and up to five high velocity rounds were heard. One person was taken to hospital with a head injury but no gunshot wounds were reported.
Around 1.30am the Army were called to deal with a suspected blast bomb in Clandeboye Gardens. Experts made safe the device and removed it for examination. As they left the scene police vehicles were attacked with bricks and one man was arrested for disorderly behaviour.
A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokeswoman said around 200 members from each side were involved in the rioting. Calm was restored to the area around 2.30am with the help of community representatives.