Four people were injured in what appeared to be a loyalist rampage around a nationalist area of north Belfast early today.
A gang of men drove around the New Lodge area attacking anyone they saw on the streets.
The RUC said they believed there was a sectarian motive behind the attacks, which left a woman in hospital with serious head injuries and a man, woman and 14-year-old boy nursing injuries after being treated in hospital.A police spokesman said the first victim was the 14-year-old, who was attacked and beaten in Sparmount Street by a gang of men with pickaxe handles.
The gang then got into a car and drove down the street. They stopped when they spotted the man and woman walking along and attacked them.
Later a woman walking alone in Sparmount Street was attacked by men who got out of a silver car. She suffered serious head injuries and was detained in hospital.
Windows in a number of houses in the street were also broken during the wave of violence.
PA