The ambulance crew was attacked in Ardoyne

The decision was made after paramedics were attacked for the second night running.

A paramedic who was trying to help a youth on Monday night was assaulted.

On Sunday night, another member of staff suffered an eye injury after the ambulance he was driving was pelted with bricks in the Longlands estate, also in north Belfast.

Union representative Paddy McGlinchey said they were no longer prepared to go into riot situations.

He said ambulance staff were not able to do their jobs properly.

Paddy McGlinchey: "No longer prepared to go into riot situations"

"Unless they start treating us and our fire service colleagues with some respect we'll not be going in," he said.

On Sunday, two police officers were also injured during disturbances in north Belfast.

The paramedic suffered an eye injury when a side window in the ambulance was smashed with bricks and stones.

The windscreen had already been reinforced to protect ambulance crews from attacks.

Gabriel McClean of the Ambulance Service said staff were angry.

This latest attack on paramedics was particularly vicious and callous Nigel Dodds DUP

"We are here to serve all the community, all of the time. That's all we want to do," he said.

The North Belfast MP, the DUP's Nigel Dodds, has strongly condemned the latest attack.

Mr Dodds said: "This latest attack on paramedics seeking to give help to those in need was particularly vicious and callous.

"The crew were lured into the area it appears, with the express intention that they would be attacked."

Ulster Unionist Party assembly member for the area Fred Cobain said those responsible for attacking paramedics in north Belfast were "depriving the community of the right to life".

He appealed to those responsible for the attacks to end their "pointless" activity.

'Crisis in values'

Sinn Fein assembly member for North Belfast Gerry Kelly has called for attacks on ambulance personnel in the area to stop.

Mr Kelly said: "Over the weekend there were a number of attacks on ambulances and a number of paramedics were assaulted.

Some of that violence is unfortunately aimed at those who are serving the public so well - that is the ambulance crews Alban Maginness SDLP

"This sort of mindless violence has to end. Those of us working within these communities have a responsibility to do all in our power to see them ended."

The SDLP's Alban Maginness said there was "a crisis in community values".

"The drinks and drugs culture has taken hold, particularly among some of our young people," he said.

"I think it has now become a preoccupation with some people to get drunk on a Friday or Saturday night and then to lose control of themselves and involve themselves in violence.

"Some of that violence is unfortunately aimed at those who are serving the public so well - that is the ambulance crews."