SECURITY gates at a north Belfast interface near a contentious loyalist bonfire are to be closed early.
The move came as Sinn Féin minister Conor Murphy appealed for calm ahead of the lighting of Eleventh Night bonfires.
It emerged yesterday that a consultancy firm run by prominent loyalist Jamie Bryson wrote to the Department of Justice (DoJ) asking for security gates in the nationalist Duncairn Gardens area of north Belfast to be closed.
The correspondence, which was sent on behalf of Tiger's Bay Cultural Group, was sent as tensions in some areas began to rise in recent days.
On Thursday night petrol bombs were thrown near a bonfire at Adam Street, which is in the Tiger's Bay.
It was reported that a group of youths had gathered in the nationalist Duncairn Gardens area close to the bonfire shortly before launching the attack.
A spokeswoman for the department last night said the gates normally open between 6.30am - 6.30pm each weekday but that it had "issued instructions for the gates to be closed at the earlier time of 4.00pm"
"This was an operational decision by DoJ, informed by police advice," she said.
She added that the decision was taken in advance of any correspondence and that normal opening times will resume on Wednesday.
With an estimated 250 loyalist bonfires planned Mr Murphy said he hopes this year's events will pass off peacefully.
"A lot of the tensions are around what can be described as hate crimes where various effigies or images of people on the other side of the political divide are featured on bonfires," he said.
Mr Murphy spoke of his hope that through talking contentious issues will not be repeated.
"Unfortunately for a lot of communities, particularly in Belfast and other urban areas, it becomes a time of tension and worry and concern for families of young kids," he said.
His party colleague and north Belfast assembly member Carál Ní Chuilín appealed for people from the New Lodge area "to stay away from interfaces over coming days".
"We don't need tensions increased further and residents (are) really nervous after yesterday's events," she wrote on Twitter.
"Anyone using petrol bombs must accept responsibility for their actions which is dangerous and wrong."
DUP Policing Board member Joanne Bunting urged those taking part in Twelfth-linked events not to be provoked.
"The attack on the Adam Street bonfire is an obvious and deliberate attempt to increase tensions and to provoke a response," she said.
"I would urge everyone, both in that area and across Northern Ireland, not to respond to such attempts."
Mr Bryson also urged calm adding that a loyalist bonfire at Pitt Park in east Belfast had also been targeted.
"It is no coincidence in my mind that these attacks are taking place at interface areas, and I am concerned there is a degree of orchestrated designed to provoke a violent response from the loyalist community," he said.
“I would urge young loyalists particularly not to fall into this trap of provocation."
Elsewhere in north Belfast it has been reported that a bonfire was removed from the Cedar Lodge School, which is in the Fairhill Walk area, for "health and safety" reasons by the Education Authority.
Meanwhile, a crane has been brought into help load pallets onto a bonfire at Craigyhill in Larne.
Earlier this week the pyre stood at 100ft with those behind the structure saying they need to reach more than 198.5ft to set a new world record.
Concerns have been raised about the huge bonfire.
There was controversy last year when the massive pallet pyre collapsed after being set alight.
