A number of police officers were injured during rioting in west Belfast last night.
A gang of some 100 youths threw missiles, including petrol bombs, at police near the Broadway roundabout. The violence resulted in minor injuries to nine PSNI officers.
An estimated 21 petrol bombs were thrown and a variety of other missiles were hurled at officers. Earlier in the day, one person was injured during another disturbance when loyalists tried to remove a tricolour and a sign which said "Ériu is our Queen" on Black Mountain overlooking Belfast.
A confrontation is believed to have ensued over the sign at around 6pm with one person taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police said they believed the disorder in Broadway was caused by individuals trying to take advantage of the tensions in the Black Mountain area.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Localised disorder in the Broadway area last night was police believe criminal elements trying to take advantage of tensions and events in the Black Mountain area to attack officers.
Police do not believe the violence was orchestrated and praised local community representatives for helping to defuse the situation.