BELFAST, 10 April, 2021 (TON): In the latest riot in the Northern Ireland, about 19 officers were injured, bringing the number of hurt police to 74 during a week of violence across the region.

as the police faced attacks by petrol bombs, fireworks and stones, water cannon was used by police in Belfast for the first time in six years, the media reported.

"Sustained violence directed towards police officers on both sides of the interface over a period of hours on Thursday night,” said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Roberts.

According to Roberts, the majority of injuries to officers were to hearing due to fireworks being detonated close to them, one female officer suffered a broken bone in her foot.

"I am deeply concerned by the scenes of violence in Northern Ireland, especially attacks on PSNI who are protecting the public and businesses, attacks on a bus driver and the assault of a journalist.

"The way to resolve differences is through dialogue, not violence or criminality," UK PM Borris Johnson tweeted.

However, the latest development followed several nights of unrest amid tensions over the Northern Ireland Protocol within the Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union (EU).