OVER EIGHTY police officers were injured as rioting continued in Belfast last night. This is the third day of rioting in Ardoyne and Belfast, following the marches of the twelfth. Rioters hijacked and burnt out cars, broke up curbing, threw petrol bombs and attacked police. Officers responded by using a water cannon.

Youths also set up barriers and a bus was damaged, wheelie bins were set also set alight. The Newsletter is reporting that some of the rioters were as young as eight.

A PSNI video shows clashes between PSNI riot officers and 150 hooded youths, two hours before Orangemen passed a flashpoint interface. One youth was seen taunting police with a six-foot wooden spear and at another stage, three rioters used scaffolding to attack police. Over 80 officers were injured last night according to Police Federation chief Terry Spence.

“I think both sides have responsibility for what’s going on here in many respects” he said.

“I think they need to look at what is happening in these areas where the contentious parades results in scores of police officers being seriously injured and where their lives are threatened”

Chief Constable Matt Baggot said there had been a dangerous cocktail of “recreational rioting with a sinister edge”.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness yesterday hit out at those behind the rioting and defended their political efforts to ease tensions over controversial parades. RTE.ie are reporting that both men will mean the Chief Constable to discuss the riots later today.

A PSNI jeep under attack.

Pictures from the riots.