Nationalists are being blamed for provoking violent clashes in east Belfast in which 13 police officers were injured.

One officer was seriously injured in sectarian rioting in the Short Strand area on Saturday.

He is being treated for neck and head injuries after he was hit on the back of the head with a brick

Sinn Fein blamed bandsmen returning from the Apprentice Boys parade in Londonderry for causing the disturbances.

My officers acted with commendable restraint

Graham Shields Superintendent

They also claimed the police were heavy handed.

However, the police said missiles had been thrown into loyalist Cluan Place earlier in the day.

Superintendent Graham Shields said while his officers did arrest one person in Cluan Place, they faced an orchestrated attack from around 200 rioters when they went into the Short Strand area.

I absolutely refute any suggestion that police were responsible," he said.

"It was not the police who were not involved in the rioting or throwing bottles, stones or petrol bombs for that matter

"This is a matter for the community representatives to sort out.

"As usual it is the police who are caught in the middle but, my officers acted with commendable restraint."

Police described the attack as "orchestrated"

A number of petrol bombs were thrown and the police fired one plastic bullet during the trouble.

Tensions at the flashpoint interface have run high throughout the summer and serious rioting in June led to a call from unionist politicians for the government to review all paramilitary ceasefires.

Nationalist residents claimed they were pelted with stones and bottles from the loyalist side of the peace line.

However, loyalist residents in Cluan Place said they came under sustained attack with at least five petrol bombs and a large quantity of other missiles thrown from Clandeboye Gardens.

Loyalists said the attacks on Cluan Place continued for a couple of hours.

The area was quiet overnight, however there is an uneasy calm in the area.

The violence was condemned by Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers, who said republicans started the trouble.