Summary

  1. Multiple fires on Crumlin Roadpublished at 22:10 BST

    Richard Morgan
    BBC News NI

    There are multiple fires burning on Crumlin Road towards west Belfast, including bins placed in the middle of the road.

    Thick black smokes fills the air, as masked individuals add more material to keep the fires going.

    The fire service is responding as the police monitor the scene.

  2. Northern Ireland ministers react to 'acts of violence'published at 22:06 BST

    A man with white hair and glassesImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Mike Nesbitt is NI's health minister

    More reaction now from politicians in Northern Ireland, with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), posting on social media saying: "I deplore these acts of violence, apparently staged in protest against a deplorable and inhuman act of knife violence last night.

    "What do people want this to achieve? Where do they want it to end?"

    A man with black and grey hairImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Education Minister Paul Givan

    Education Minister Paul Given from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) says any violence at anti-immigration demonstrations will “distract” from protesters’ message.

    Givan attended a protest in Lisburn on Tuesday evening, which followed Monday night’s knife attack in Belfast.

    “There is a genuine shock about what happened last night. I think it has sent shockwaves across the community," he says.

    "What we have witnessed here in Lisburn has been a peaceful protest because people have felt that their voices aren’t being listened to, particularly when it comes to uncontrolled immigration within the United Kingdom and on the island of Ireland."

    He adds that people "should express their views in a peaceful manner".

  3. 'Hate cannot be allowed to win' - NI justice ministerpublished at 21:58 BST

    Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long says those who are carrying out violent acts are "weaponising genuine hurt, concern and anger" that people are feeling.

    Long said it is "simply disingenuous" to claim this is being carried out for the good of Northern Ireland.

    “There is no place for masked thugs to take to the streets and threaten, intimidate, disrupt and cause wanton damage

    She appealed to communities not to allow themselves to be "used and abused" in this manner.

    “Disorder on the streets, such as we are seeing tonight, is diverting valuable police resources away from those who genuinely need them," she said.

    "These are not the actions of people who genuinely care about their communities.

    “While I recognise and understand the concerns following on from the attack in north Belfast, hate cannot be allowed to win.”

  4. Violence does not 'advance any cause, it damages it' - deputy first ministerpublished at 21:55 BST

    We're starting to get some political reaction to the trouble on the streets in Northern Ireland tonight.

    First up, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has appealed for protesters to “act in an entirely peaceful way”.

    “I know all are horrified about what has happened. I know so many are angry and there are those who want to register a protest,” she says, referring to last night's knife attack.

    But she says violence does not “advance any cause, it damages it".

    “Destroying things within your own community benefits no one. Taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong,” the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) minister says.

    Deputy First Minister Emma Little-PengellyImage source, PA Media

    She urged parents to contact their children if they are out on the streets.

    “There will inevitably be arrests for violence, those engaging in disorder will be recorded and follow up arrests and prosecutions will follow,” the deputy first minister says.

    That, she adds, will be “life-changing for young people - get them home and away from danger if you can".

  5. Watch: Car on fire in east Belfastpublished at 21:45 BST

    Kelly Bonner
    BBC News NI

    Media caption,

    Car on fire after disorder in Belfast

    A car on fire on Lendrick Street, off the Newtownards Road where there has been disorder tonight, exploded a moment ago - there's about 80 masked men in attendance.

  6. Police and firefighters continue to hold back in east Belfastpublished at 21:41 BST

    Dan Johnson
    BBC News

    What is left of the bus is still burning, but it’s almost totally destroyed.

    And more large commercial bins have been set alight here in the middle of the Newtownards Road, which is still blocked with smoke rising into the sky.

    More firefighters have arrived but they’re holding back for now, letting the fires burn rather than approaching the crowd of masked youngsters.

    The police are also staying back. We’ve just seen a convoy of four armoured police land rovers racing down Newtownards Road but they turned off to head elsewhere because we’ve heard there are other pockets of disorder across Belfast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

    Shell of bus after fire
  7. Police protecting fire enginespublished at 21:35 BST

    Richard Morgan
    BBC News NI

    The fire service has arrived in an attempt to extinguish multiple blazes here on the Crumlin Road towards west Belfast.

    The PSNI is using one of its vehicles to protect the fire engine.

    From where I am standing, I can hear debris being thrown at the PSNI land rover.

  8. What has happened this evening?published at 21:31 BST

    We’ve just had an update from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) who have appealed for calm following "sporadic pockets of disorder".

    It comes after a 30-year-old man, who the police have said is Sudanese, was charged with attempted murder after a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday night.

    Here’s what has happened so far this evening:

    • Protestors gathered in a number of areas across Northern Ireland - some have been peaceful protests but disorder has broken out in some locations
    • A bus has been set on fire on the Newtownards Road, with bins set alight in the middle of the road as more than 100 people, some masked, gathered in the area
    • Northern Ireland's public transport operator Translink has suspended all services operating in and out of Belfast
    • A PSNI land rover was also attacked on the Crumlin Road towards the west of the city
    • Cars have been set alight on a roundabout in Newtownabbey, while there have also been protests in Antrim, Ballymena and Bangor. In Whiteabbey, a house has been targeted by stonethrowers
  9. Protesters disrupt traffic in Londonderrypublished at 21:25 BST

    Keiron Tourish
    BBC News NI north west reporter

    police diverting traffic in londonderry

    There’s been some traffic disruption in Derry where protestors blocked the main A6 road between the city and Belfast for a time this evening.

    Police set up road blocks and diverted traffic into the village of Drumahoe. At one point there was a lengthy build-up of traffic on the main A6.

  10. Watch: Church minister speaks to protesterspublished at 21:23 BST

    Media caption,

    Minister speaks to protesters on the Newtownards Road in Belfast

    A reverend speaking to a masked individual on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast a little earlier, where a bus has been set on fire.

  11. Masked men kicking in doors and breaking windowspublished at 21:19 BST

    Kelly Bonner
    BBC News NI

    Masked people wearing black stand in a street

    Crowds gathered at McMaster Street in Lower Newtownards Road in east Belfast.

    About 100 masked men made their way down the street and kicked in doors and broke windows.

    They said they were "getting the foreigners out".

  12. About 150 people still at remnants of burning bus on Newtownards Roadpublished at 21:13 BST

    Dan Johnson
    BBC News

    The explosions heard earlier on the Newtownards Road in Belfast are thought to be the tyres of the Glider bus burning.

    This is what authorities and politicians were warning against earlier, as the fire could have spread to nearby buildings, putting property and lives at risk.

    Crowds of people are so far being allowed to stand in the area. Protesters have set flares and thrown things at the emergency services.

    A reverend came out on to the street to ask masked men to stop.

  13. PSNI land rover attackedpublished at 21:12 BST

    Richard Morgan
    BBC News NI

    The Crumlin Road in Belfast is closed at a junction with Bilston Road due to bins on a fire in the middle of the road.

    I have just seen a PSNI land rover being attacked by masked individuals.

  14. Watch: Bus set on fire in Belfastpublished at 21:03 BST

    Media caption,

    Protesters gather in Belfast as smoke rises near city centre

  15. Police call for calm as 'sporadic disorder' breaks outpublished at 21:00 BST

    Fire fighters at a fire engine attend to a bus on fire - the bus is mostly destroyed, with flames still seen inside the husk. In the background a large group of people can be seenImage source, PA

    PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson says there have been "sporadic pockets of disorder" in a number of locations across Northern Ireland tonight.

    He urged everyone to remain calm, act responsibly and avoid any activity that could place themselves or others at risk.

    "Officers are on the ground, working alongside partner agencies, responding to incidents as they arise and helping to keep people safe."

    He asked "all voices of influence within local communities to encourage peaceful protest and discourage any involvement in violence or disorder".

  16. Cars on fire in Newtownabbeypublished at 20:52 BST

    Ita Dungan
    BBC News NI

    A fire on the road at thr front is a police landrover

    At the Cloughfern roundabout in Newtownabbey, two cars are on fire in the middle of the road.

  17. East Belfast MLA "disgusted" at Glider firepublished at 20:50 BST

    Peter McReynolds, Alliance party assembly member for East Belfast, says he is "disgusted" at the "destruction and violence" that has happened on the Newtownards Road, after a bus was set on fire.

    On a post on Facebook, McReynolds says: "This serves no one, changes nothing and damages our community.

    "Thoughts with the Glider staff, our community in fear this evening during this destruction and our under pressure PSNI officers facing down this violence this evening."

  18. 'Utterly condemn this attack on our service' - Translinkpublished at 20:42 BST

    A glider bus being attacked by masked people and a bin is on fire.Image source, PA Media

    As we reported earlier, a bus has been set alight on the Newtownards Road.

    Northern Ireland's public transport operator Translink has said: “We utterly condemn this attack on our service.

    “The safety of our staff and customers is our top priority and all Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus and Goldliner services (operating in and out of Belfast) have been suspended.

    “We are liaising closely with the PSNI and will continue to follow their guidance.”

  19. Fire services and police holding back before tackling bus firepublished at 20:34 BST

    Dan Johnson
    BBC News

    Flames engulf a bus on a city street. The bus, with purple stripes to the rear, says Glider across the back. The flames are across the middle of the vehicle. In the background is a building with shutters down.Image source, PA

    I'm at the Newtownards Road where a Glider bus has been set on fire.

    Fire engines and police cars are at the bottom of the road and appear to be assessing the situation before approaching.

  20. Traffic blocked by protestors in Antrim townpublished at 20:31 BST

    Richard Morgan
    BBC News NI

    Police officers are observing those gathered at the top of Antrim town.Protestors are blocking traffic from entering or leaving Antrim through Fountain Street.