Five graves were vandalised last week

The protesters were trying to disrupt a service to bless Catholic graves in Carnmoney cemetery in Newtownabbey.

It comes less than a week after headstones were damaged at the cemetery.

The police said about 200 protesters gathered on the O'Neill Road, at the Rathcoole end of Carnmoney cemetery, at about 1400 BST on Sunday.

The protest, which involved blowing horns, jeering and blowing whistles, lasted about 30 minutes.

Some people had trouble getting into the cemetery despite a heavy police presence in the area.

A short time later, a crowd of about 40 people were involved in stone throwing on the O'Neill Road where the cars were hijacked.

Other cars in the area were attacked with stones.

A 16-year-old youth has been charged with riotous behaviour.

Outrage at attack

Last Monday, headstones on five graves - thought to belong to Catholic families - were damaged at the graveyard.

All five had Celtic crosses which were either broken or knocked down when vandals attacked them.

Fr Dan White, who is the parish priest for the area, said the attack was an "outrage" which would appall "decent" people.

The attack was condemned by the mayor of Newtownabbey, Alderman Paul Girvan, who said the council planned to increase security at the cemetery and had been in contact with the police.

In June 2003, more than 20 memorials in the graveyard were vandalised. Memorial crosses on some graves were smashed and headstones were overturned.

The cemetery is beside Rathcoole estate, a loyalist housing estate where Catholic postman Daniel McColgan, 20, was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries, the Ulster Defence Association, as he arrived for work in January 2002.

In May 2002, his grave in Carnmoney was damaged in a similar attack.