Several hundred people staged a demonstration outside Northern Ireland's main prison today in protest at conditions in which loyalists are held.
The protest came at a time of heightened tensions in Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim and violent clashes between loyalist and republican inmates who want to be housed in separate wings.
A group of dissident republicans are also taking part in a "dirty protest" as part of their campaign for segregation.
A report on a safety review by former Northern Ireland prisons chief Mr John Steele, who went on to become director of security policy at the Northern Ireland Office, is due to be published tomorrow.
It is widely expected to conclude that current arrangements for housing the rival groups in an integrated fashion is not safe and to recommend some form of separation.
The report was commissioned by Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Paul Murphy.
While separation is expected to be recommended, the form of segregation which operated in the now closed Maze Prison is thought to have been ruled out.
Previous governments came to regret the segregation which virtually handed control of the various H Blocks of prison cells over to the differing paramilitary groups to run almost as they saw fitting.
PA