Published Wednesday, 27 June 2012
The scene of trouble at the Broadway roundabout area on Tuesday night. (© UTV)
Around 100 people were involved in the disorder during which 21 petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown at the PSNI.
The officers received minor injuries.
A PSNI spokeswoman said they do not believe the disturbances were "orchestrated."
"Localised disorder in the Broadway area last night was, police believe, local criminal elements trying to take advantage of tensions and events in the Black Mountain area to attack officers," she said.
The area quickly returned to calm, the spokeswoman added, before going on to thank community workers for their assistance in restoring order.
SDLP Lower Falls Councillor Colin Keenan has called for calm in the area.
Cllr Keenan and Cllr Tim Attwood, members of Belfast District Police and Community Safety Partnerships, were in the area on Tuesday night and witnessed the unrest.
Cllr Keenan said: "Despite on-going good relations work between PSNI, local representatives and the community on both sides of the Donegall Road, tensions are heightened at this time of the year.
"I would appeal for calm and urge all people and especially parents to use their influence to prevent further trouble at interfaces across West Belfast."
He described the attacks on police as "regrettable."
Cllr Keenan added that the local safety partnership group is working with all agencies and local communities to try to reduce tensions in the area and prevent further outbreaks of trouble."
The trouble came after one person was injured during disturbances at Black Mountain, also in west Belfast, earlier on Tuesday.
It is understood the incidents occurred after a large sign was erected ahead of Queen Elizabeth's visit to Northern Ireland.
The words 'ÉRIU IS OUR QUEEN' were laid out in large white letters on the west Belfast hillside with an Irish flag below.
Ériu is the goddess of sovereignty in Irish mythology and it is from this word that Ireland's name was derived.
Nigel Dodds DUP MP and TUV leader Jim Allister have both contacted the police urging them to remove the sign.
Pat Sheehan, Sinn Féin MLA for West Belfast, said that the attack on peaceful protesters on the Black Mountain was unprovoked.
He said: "Local republicans in the Springhill area had come up with this creative way to protest against the visit by the English Queen and the protest was peaceful.
"Everyone has a right to peacefully protest."
Mr Sheehan claimed that the trouble which flared in the Broadway area "only involved a small amount of people, with a larger crowd having gathered to spectate."
"The small crowd involved in the trouble were mostly made up of anti-social elements who torture their own community year in year out.
"Thankfully good work by local residents and community workers stopped the incidents from spiralling out of control."
