Ten police officers were injured on Thursday evening during further loyalists riots over the removal of the union flag at Belfast City Hall.
The violence, centred mainly around East Belfast, broke out on Thursday at around 6.30pm by Albertbridge Road, Castlereagh Road and Mountpottinger Street.
Commenting on the incident Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said:
"It was initiated by the loyalist protesters and unfortunately for a number of weeks now we have been trying to facilitate lawful protest and we have been trying to do that in a proportionate and a graduated way."
"This sort of disorder last night is completely despicable and what we have seen is ten police officers injured this morning."