Arrest after second night of south Belfast trouble

Stones, bottles and paint were thrown at police in the Glenmachan Street area of south Belfast on Tuesday night.

It was the second consecutive night of disorder in the area.

A 38-year-old man has been arrested following the disorder which police said involved about 40 people, most of them "young teens".

On Monday, cars were damaged and petrol bombs were thrown at police.

A number of roads were closed on Tuesday night but have since reopened.

However, police have said that debris remains on the roads as the clean-up operation continues.

They have advised drivers to exercise caution if travelling in the area.

It was a second night of trouble at Glenmachan Street in south Belfast

There was a large police presence from early on Tuesday evening before the first bottles were thrown at about 19:30 BST.

BBC News NI reporter Cormac Campbell reported at this point a number of armoured police vehicles moved in.

In the 45 minutes that followed there were sustained disturbances with stones, blocks, bottles and paint thrown at police vehicles.

A bin was set on fire and a number of fireworks let off.

A number of officers in riot gear then entered the area and the situation soon calmed enough that many of the armoured vehicles withdrew.

However, at about 22:30 a large crowd gathered at the entrance to Glenmachan Street.

A fire was lit in the middle of the road and attempts were made to stop a number of cars.

A group wearing masks later advanced on police vehicles and stones were thrown.

A large number of police vehicles rapidly moved into the area and nearly an hour of rioting followed.

This involved mainly stones and bottles being thrown, but some petrol bombs and fireworks were also thrown.

At about 01:00 the situation again quietened down with the crowd and the armoured vehicles leaving the scene.

'This is child criminal exploitation'

Chris Quinn says there were reports of children as young as seven and eight seen throwing petrol bombs

Chris Quinn, Northern Ireland's commissioner for children and young people, visited the scene on Wednesday and expressed concerns about young people's involvement in the trouble.

He said: "It looks to me that it’s quite likely that children have been exploited".

Mr Quinn said that there were "reports of children as young as seven and eight seen throwing petrol bombs" and reports that "adults were around and, in fact, handing young people bricks".

The commissioner continued: "We need to call this out for what it is, this is child criminal exploitation".

A rioter throws bottles at police during Tuesday night's trouble

'Completely unacceptable'

Ch Supt Jeremy Lindsay said: "Once again we are thankful that no police officers or members of the public were injured however we must be clear, this disorder, which lasted into the early hours of this morning, is completely unacceptable.

"We estimate that around 40 people, most of whom were young teens, were involved and I would urge those young people, and their parents or guardians, to really take time to think about what the consequences of this behaviour could be.

"The implications for your future could be immense."

He said officers would continue to patrol the area on Wednesday night.

'I want better for children in this area'

A clean-up operation was taking place on Wednesday morning

DUP councillor Tracy Kelly, who grew up in the village area of south Belfast, told BBC News NI said she had been speaking to residents in the area who lived through the Troubles.

"They do not want to see all this starting again with a new generation of kids - it's unbelievable," she said.

"It's disappointing to see this going on after all the good work being done at the interface.

"There's children in this area and we want better for them. I don't want them out throwing petrol bombs and stones at police - it's not right," she added.

Police Federation for Northern Ireland chair Liam Kelly said thankfully no officers had been injured while they have "succeeded in holding the line and restoring peace to this area".

He added: "This street disorder has to stop. Nothing can be gained by rival groups inflicting such upheaval on families living in this area."

DUP assembly member Edwin Poots said there had been trouble in the area since last October.

"Someone is going to get seriously injured," he told BBC News NI on Tuesday.

West Belfast MP Paul Maskey said: “Scenes of disorder and anti-social behaviour in the Broadway area over recent days are deeply concerning, and totally unacceptable."