POLICE were attacked by rioting youths as young as 13 and staff were forced to flee a community centre in fear during a night of violent disorder in north Belfast.
Trouble flared in the nationalist New Lodge area at around 7.40pm on Wednesday after an ambulance and police responded to reports that a man in his thirties had been assaulted.
Police said between 50 and 100 people had gathered around Victoria Parade where bottles were being thrown and a supermarket trolley had been "set on fire".
Paramedics were able to get the man out of the area and to hospital where he was treated for injuries reportedly caused by three men wearing balaclavas.
However, by this stage police were being attacked with masonry by a 30-strong contingent of the crowd, some of whom, according to a PSNI spokeswoman, were masked.
SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said the group attacking police was made up of youths aged between 13-16.
Chief Inspector Kelly Moore said the attack on her officers was "despicable".
"This was disgraceful behaviour by all those involved in this public disorder and criminal behaviour last night in north Belfast, during which officers who were working to keep people safe came under attack.
"A man was also assaulted in the area and required treatment at hospital.
"The actions of those involved were despicable, and the local community deserves better. Residents of north Belfast should not be subjected to this type of reckless behaviour which I have no doubt will have left those impacted feeling frightened in their homes. The community rightly deserves to live in peace.
"I want to reassure the local community that we continue to have additional resources dedicated to the area to respond to any incidents."
On the same evening, a few miles away in Ardoyne, disorder broke out with a group of young people damaging property.
Mr McCusker said the community centre had to close early "due to staff feeling unsafe and two cars which were damaged by a group of young people".
"This is a vital service to the community providing crucial support for everyone and staff should not have to experience this."
He said there had also an "arranged fight" between school-age children in the Ligoniel area on the outskirts of the city.
Calm did not return to the north of the city until around 10pm.
"Anti-social behaviour and community safety is a major concern right across north Belfast," Mr McCusker said.
"There is a small percentage of young people who engage in this behaviour and we need to work to prevent and stop it from happening with support from all the community, schools, youth services including parents."
