The Alliance Party has condemned an attack on the Catholic church in Harryville, Ballymena, Co Antrim. The gates of the church were rammed by a stolen car after the loyalist protest at Saturday Mass.
An Alliance spokesman, Dr Philip McGarry, said: "Fortunately, nobody was hurt in this incident. However, it represents an escalation of the already tense situation in Ballymena and any further developments are very likely to lead to serious injury.
"Our party reiterates its call to unionist leaders to demand an end to this anti-democratic and threatening protest at Harryville, which has already caused an enormous drain upon police resources and has contributed to a heightening of tension throughout the community."
Meanwhile, the RUC is treating fires in two buildings in the grounds of a Catholic church in Limavady, Co Derry, as arson. A building used by a community playgroup and as changing rooms by the GAA club at the Church of Christ the King on Scroggy Road were set on fire.