More injuries reported in north Belfast violence

Several people have been injured in a third night of sectarian violence in north Belfast, the Police Service of Northern Ireland…

Several people have been injured in a third night of sectarian violence in north Belfast, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said today.

A man in his twenties was hit by a car, and a Catholic girl was reportedly taken to hospital with suspected broken legs after a metal trolley hit a group of people.

The latest violence came after a weekend of clashes that began on Saturday after Rangers beat Celtic in the Scottish cup final. Over 30 police and 10 civilians were injured over the first two nights of violence.

The latest incidents included rioting in the North Queen Street area, the nearby Whitewell district and in the Ardoyne area, the scene of protests last year at Holy Cross primary school.

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But Mr Billy Hutchinson, MLA, of the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party, said the army had been "heavy handed". He said: "It was just kids on each side stoning each other".

The rioting at the weekend involved crowds of up to 800 people as rival nationalists and loyalists attacked each other and the police, with axes, iron bars, baseball bats and breeze blocks.

Belfast's Lord Mayor, Mr Jim Rodgers, said: "Anything is an excuse for these people. Football is a sport and whether you win or lose, you certainly don't have to go out and riot and cause mayhem on the streets".