Loyalist protesters returned to the streets of Belfast yesterday afternoon, causing traffic havoc in the city for the fourth day running.
Main thoroughfares in Belfast were blocked by placard-waving crowds comprising mainly women and children.
They succeeded in blocking the Westlink which connects Northern Ireland's principal motorways before the PSNI moved in to keep the roads open.
Belfast's most senior PSNI officer Duncan McCausland said: "I have clear indications that if I move against women and children, paramilitaries or other organisations in the community may come out against me and my officers.
"I have to balance that and make a decision in terms of maintaining law and order and the peace of this community - but I intend to keep the roads open as much as possible."
Earlier trouble flared when police officers entered the Highfield area near the Shankill Road to search a property there.
Vehicles in the Ballygomartin and Crumlin Road areas were taken and set alight amid claims that the police had been heavy-handed in the efforts to carry out the house search.
One person was arrested following the police operation, a PSNI representative said.
Assistant Chief Constable McCausland was speaking after he accompanied Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde to a two-hour meeting at which they briefed the Policing Board on the violence of recent days which started with Saturday's contentious Orange Order parade.
Sir Hugh was heckled by loyalist demonstrators gathered outside the building as he was driven past. They were demonstrating at what they claimed was excessive force used by police during the riots of the weekend.