NINETEEN people have been arrested in connection with the violence and disorder which erupted across Northern Ireland this week.
Riots were sparked in Belfast following a stabbing incident in the city on the evening of June 8.
The disorder has continued every night since and has spread across Northern Ireland with incidents of race hate attacks reported within multiple communities.
The PSNI continue to police the situation, although they confirmed that their officers saw a reduction in the violence last night.
“Our heightened presence in our local communities and engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night,” Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said.
“Thankfully, the situation was much calmer than we have seen in recent days.,’ he added.
"There were peaceful protests last night at a number of locations, including Newtownabbey, with no significant incidents of public disorder,” he explained.
"Last night, officers were dealing with some lower level disturbances and keeping focus on patrols of key areas.
“There were three arrests in total across Northern Ireland - one in connection with disorder on Wednesday and including a man detained following criminal damage to a vehicle in the Taughmonagh area of south Belfast.”
The PSNI will continue to police the situation within communities over the weekend, ACC Henderson confirmed.
Incidents reported last night included an arson attack on a house in the Shore Road area of north Belfast and race-hate graffiti in the Dee Street and Newtownards Road area of east Belfast.
A 27-year-old man, who threw a stone at a police vehicle during a mobile patrol in Abbeyville Court in Newtownabbey, was arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour.
There wad ‘no significant disorder’ noted in Derry last night, the police force added, although a 16-year-old boy was arrested in the city for riotous behaviour carried our the previous night (June 10).
“There have been 19 arrests so far this week with people already charged to court,” ACC Henderson said.
“Our Public Order Enquiry Team is working day and night to identify those who have been involved in the disorder over the last number of days."
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See More: Belfast, Disorder, Northern Ireland, Riots
