See the clashes

The barricade was erected in the Albertbridge Road area early on Sunday.

The Northern Ireland police chief earlier said the Protestant Orange Order bore "substantial responsibility" for Saturday's outbreak of violence.

The Belfast Orange Order described his remarks as "inflammatory" and police actions as "brutal and heavy-handed".

Loyalist rioters attacked police with homemade bombs, guns and bricks, injuring at least six officers.

At this stage, all we would say is that if what we saw today was policing, it was policing at its worst Orange Order

Cars were hijacked and roads were also blocked in Ballyclare, Glengormley, Rathcoole, Larne and Carrickfergus, as the violence spread.

"The trouble has been as intense as anything seen in Northern Ireland since the late 1990s," BBC correspondent Denis Murray said.

In a statement, the Orange Order said it would not be speaking to the media until it had evaluated what had happened.

"While the Orange Order has noted the Chief Constable's intemperate, inflammatory and inaccurate remarks, we have decided to take a more responsible line and will not be drawn into a similar knee-jerk reaction, it said.

"At this stage, all we would say is that if what we saw today was policing, it was policing at its worst."

Officers injured

Sir Hugh Orde says his police officers and the troops called in to help them contain the violence over the Whiterock parade, were heroes.

Violence erupts in Belfast

He said they had been attacked with petrol bombs and blast bombs in outbreaks of rioting.

Gunmen had opened fire on police and they had returned fire. At least six officers were injured and one civilian was shot.

"I have seen members of the Orange Order in their sashes attacking my officers. I have seen them standing next to masked men.

"That is simply not good enough," Sir Hugh said.

"The Orange Order must bear substantial responsibility for this. They publicly called people on to the streets."

"I think if you do that, you cannot then abdicate responsibility."

QUICK GUIDE Northern Ireland conflict

BBC Northern Ireland correspondent Kevin Connolly said security forces were the target of a sustained attack of "extraordinary ferocity".

"An ugly political blame game is certain to follow," he said.

Northern Ireland Security Minister Shaun Woodward described the rioting as "appalling".

"There can be no justification whatsoever for the disgraceful violence and disorder we have seen," he said.

There can be no justification whatsoever for the disgraceful violence and disorder we have seen Shaun Woodward NI Security Minister

"The attacks on both police and soldiers, some of whom have been seriously injured, are to be utterly condemned."

DUP leader Ian Paisley earlier blamed the Parades Commission for not reviewing the route that barred it from a nationalist area.

The parade was re-routed to avoid the mainly nationalist Springfield Road area.

After a request by unionists on Friday, the Parades Commission reviewed its ruling on the route, but decided not to change it.