Several police hurt as N. Ireland riots flare

Fresh rioting by Catholics opposed to Protestant marches in Belfast injured more police officers, officials said, as pressure mounted on Northern Ireland’s political leaders.

The number of officers injured totals 82. The new unrest late on Monday prompted a top police officer to issue a rare challenge to Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson and his deputy Martin McGuinness to condemn the violence publicly.

"I did not have a call from either of them in the run-up to this event and where are they today jointly speaking out against what has happened?" Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay told BBC radio. His comments came after dissident republicans threw petrol bombs, concrete slabs and bottles at Protestant Orangemen and their police escort marching through Ardoyne, a mainly Catholic area of northern Belfast.

Later on, N. Ireland’s leaders condemned the rioting.

The violence was described as "recreational rioting with a sinister edge" by Police Service of Northern Ireland chief Matt Baggott as he released footage of riot police being attacked with iron bars and wooden posts. His officers responded with rubber bullets and water cannon in a bid to subdue the demonstrators. Earlier, police in body armour had removed more than 100 people who staged a sit-down protest in the road.

Fifty-five officers have been injured in 48 hours of rioting in the British province.

The 28 new victims included a female officer who had a breeze block thrown on to her head and was pelted with missiles as emergency services tended to her.