The marching season has got off to an inauspicious start with unionists reacting angrily to police actions on the Ormeau Road in Belfast on Tuesday evening.
As is often the case in parades-related disputes, the version of events from those involved tends to differ.
The PSNI say that some band members were asked to move away from parked cars as they made their way along the road and this was followed by an altercation during which two officers were injured and a police motorcycle damaged.
A 26-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault on police.
Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said police officers were being attacked and defended themselves with batons and used a CS spray which the PSNI insists was directed at adults and not children.
Unfortunately, a number of children appear to have suffered the effects of this spray, which is clearly a matter of serious concern.
Parade organisers have expressed anger at the police actions and said there was no justification for what happened.
Meanwhile outrage in the wider unionist community has been growing since the incident.
Of course, politicians are entitled to make their views known although most comments seem to be based on reports rather than first hand experience.
It is also important to point out that this matter is now in the hands of the Police Ombudsman, who will investigate and provide an independent assessment of the police actions.
Given that emotions can often run high over parading issues, political and community representatives need to be extremely measured in their statements.
We have already seen deeply sinister and worrying material on social media identifying a PSNI officer and making threatening and abusive comments against him.
This is absolutely despicable and quite disturbing given the danger police officers are already facing from dissident republicans.
A sense of perspective and calm is needed with unionists working to take the heat out of a situation which has already escalated to an unacceptable degree.
