The Springfield Road area of west Belfast remained calm during the night, following rioting after a controversial Orange Order parade.

Six officers were injured during clashes with nationalist protestors, who were angry that the Orange Order had been allowed to parade through their streets.

The security forces were pelted with stones and used water cannon to disperse the protestors.

The violence followed an Orange Order parade

A crowd of about 300 nationalists confronted the police as the marchers passed through the junction of Ainsworth Avenue and March Street and the junction of Springfield Parade and Springfield Road.

Sean Paul O'Hare, of Springfield Residents' Action Group, said: "I think that these disturbances were an indication of just how angry people in the community are.

"They were angry at this decision to allow the march through with no route restriction and feel the Parades Commission have put the community into a corner.

"We went to them with positive proposals and those were rejected."

Peace process meetings

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams will hold talks in Dublin on Monday with Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern on the problems in the peace process, it emerged on Saturday.

Adams: Wants to end "republicanism by force"

The meeting comes just days before UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mr Ahern travel to Northern Ireland for an emergency meeting with the pro-Good Friday Agreement parties to bolster the strained peace process.

Sinn Fein said the meeting would review progress made so far in implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

Caoimhghin O'Caolain, the leader of Sinn Fein in the Irish parliament, said there had been a "serious escalation in loyalist-orchestrated sectarian attacks" in Belfast.

But Ulster Unionists have accused republicans of orchestrating street clashes in the city.

On Saturday night Mr Adams insisted he would continue playing "a leadership role" in trying to end republican violence.

He insisted republicans had "no truck with sectarianism of any kind or from any source", and said everyone should be able to live free from sectarian harassment.

'Disgraceful scenes'

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission did not impose any route restrictions on Saturday's parade.

However, it said no music must be played between the junction of Ainsworth Avenue and March Street and the junction of Springfield Parade and Springfield Road.

The commission said it was conscious of its previous decisions about the parade, but considering all relevant factors, felt it was "the most appropriate for this particular parade at this particular time".

The police said they had received assurances that the nationalist counter-protest would be marshalled.

But they said they were told there would be no marshals 30 minutes before the march was due to pass.

Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast Alan McQuillan said the decision to withdraw marshalling "directly led" to the "disgraceful" scenes later.