Police caught in sectarian clashes in Belfast

Violence broke out in east Belfast last night when nationalist and loyalist crowds hurled missiles at each other over the sectarian…

Violence broke out in east Belfast last night when nationalist and loyalist crowds hurled missiles at each other over the sectarian interface.

Police said they were also investigating reports of shots being fired from thenationalist Short Strand into the neighbouring loyalist Cluan Place.

There were no reports of anyone being hit by shots.Angry crowds of around 80 nationalists and 100 loyalists were on the streetsconfronting each other as police moved in to quell trouble.

The Fire Service was called to tackle a fire at a house on the nationalistClandeboye Drive side of the interface after a petrol bomb was thrown, said apolice spokeswoman.

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A Democratic Unionist Party local councillor, Ms Ruth Patterson, claimed policebaton-charged loyalist demonstrators, leaving one man injured in thestreet.

PA