Flag protests in Belfast cost police over £7m so far

The Union Flag has been raised over Belfast City Hall for the first time since the council voted to restrict the number of days in which it flies to mark the birthday of the Duchess of Cambridge.

The flag will be lowered again on Wednesday evening.

The decision to remove the flag for most of the year has led to Loyalist demonstrations. Some of those protests have ended in violent clashes with the police, with officers attacked again on Tuesday night with petrol bombs, fireworks and rocks.

The cost of policing flag protests in Northern Ireland since they began early in December is believed to be over £7m.

Chris Page reports.