Loyalist flags erected outside Catholic church

Union flags were erected outside a Catholic church in east Belfast near the scene of increased violence in recent weeks.

The flags were raised outside St Matthew’s Church on the Newtownards Road over the weekend by a group of men in a cherry picker.

Houses in the nearly nationalist Short Strand were attacked with paint bombs last week and petrol bombs were thrown at a property on Strand Walk. There have also been onging reports of missiles being thrown since last weekend.