Union flag is raised above Belfast City Hall for royal birthday as protests continue

From: Channel4News 

The decision, taken on 4 December, has sparked protests from sections of the loyalist community, some of it spilling over into violence. Police maintained a heavy presence in east Belfast last night, the sixth consecutive night of unrest.

The operation is estimated to have cost GB£7m to police since it began over a month ago.

As always, the issue has been provoking a strong reaction on Twitter:

Union Flag should be flying every day!! -_-

— martinaa kennedy (@KennedyMartina) January 9, 2013

Good to see the Union flag flying proudly over Belfast City Hall today after the shameful decision to remove it! #designatedday

—William ;) ♔(@Loyal_Miller) January 9, 2013

Good thing about union flag being raised this morning will be seeing it get taken down again this evening.

— Patrice Hardy (@MisssPatrice) January 9, 2013

Union flag flying here today for Kate's birthday - and also in Dublin apparently - something to do with Europe. And so on we plod. xxx

— Sharon Owens (@SharonOwensAuth) January 9, 2013

Forgive me for being simplistic but wouldn't it just be easier if Belfast simply flew the Union Flag every day?

— Craig Barrett (@mrsteedUK) January 9, 2013

Maybe the council ought to focus on taking down the merry Christmas bannerfrom city hall rather than union flag

— Maria gardiner (@Mariagardiner) January 9, 2013

Loyalists are also planning to bring their protest south of the border to Dublin on Saturday. Campaigner Willie Frazer has told gardaí that he and his followers will hold a peaceful protest outside the Dáil on Kildare Street.

It has raised fears of violence on the streets of the capital after a similar demonstration in 2006 called 'Love Ulster' triggered rioting and disorder across central Dublin.