Extra police to deal with Belfast riots, 30 officers injured and one MP Police officers and an MP have been injured after sectarian tensions escalated in Belfast. FOUR hundred extra British police officers are being deployed to Northern Ireland after a night of serious loyalist rioting in Belfast that left more than 30 officers injured and an MP hospitalised. More than 600 mutual aid officers from England, Scotland and Wales were already in the region supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) operation as tensions surrounding the traditional Twelfth of July commemorations spiralled into disorder last night. Trouble flared in the north of the city as police attempted to enforce a decision banning a controversial Orange Order parade from passing the republican Ardoyne area on the Crumlin Road. Disorder spread to east Belfast during six hours of violence. The Orange Order had originally called for protests against the determination of the Parades Commission adjudication body but, in the wake of the violence, late last night senior Orangemen called for protest action to be suspended. Democratic Unionist Party MP for North Belfast Nigel Dodds was taken to hospital after being struck in the head by a brick during the unrest on the Woodvale Road in his constituency. PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott today condemned those responsible for the trouble. "The scenes were both shameful and disgraceful," he said. Riot police watch flames of petrol bombs thrown by loyalists in north Belfast early Saturday. Picture: Peter Morrison/AP We said that we were resolved to uphold the rule of law and the Parades Commission determination not to allow the return parade past the Ardoyne shop fronts. We did that. We did so impartially. We did so firmly. I cannot praise highly enough this morning the courage, the professionalism and the restraint of my PSNI colleagues, and those from England, Wales and Scotland who joined us in making sure the rule of law was upheld. Loyalists attack riot police close to the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.