内容摘要：Three state corrections department volunteers hidden behind a curtain will then fire at him from 15ft (4.6m) away.

Three state corrections department volunteers hidden behind a curtain will then fire at him from 15ft (4.6m) away.

Mr Doherty said “there was no police on” the Botanic Avenue when a business was damaged.“Why was that?” he asked.

ACC Beck said the PSNI had a “significant policing operation” in place and that it was a “really challenging situation”.“It was a really dynamic and agile and fast-moving protest and I think my officers responded really well to that,” he said.“We will continue to work with any issues that we may face in the hours and the days ahead."

Mr Beck rejected criticism that the PSNI had fallen short in protecting businesses that had been attacked.“I do regret that people attacked businesses and that’s wrong and that’s where the fault lies,” he said.

“It lies with those people that attacked and set out with violence in their mind and we will bring those people to justice.”

Mr Beck said police officers had “responded to concerns right across Belfast” and that he had been in contact with community representatives.It said the service's current tactics at a "substantial number" of incidents had placed firefighters at unnecessary risk and resulted in avoidable property damage after looking at 252 incidents between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023.

Mr Stephens said: "We have serious concerns that the adverse safety events that can result from this are not being recognised, let alone being reported."He also found that many of the methods used by the fire service were "disjointed, contradictory and, in some instances, scientifically incorrect".

He cited outdated tactics partially introduced 30 years ago that were not scientifically proven even then.Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said: "There is no criticism in the report of frontline firefighters, who continue to do their utmost to protect life and property.