The Ulster Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt has condemned a number of weekend incidents which he says brought shame on Belfast.
Mr Nesbitt said:
“The weekend saw a number of incidents which brought shame on our capital city.
“A young man was viciously attacked and beaten in his home on the Ballygomartin Road, whilst another young man was shot in the legs in Ardoyne. Both these attacks are a disgrace for which there is no defence or excuse whatsoever and the Ulster Unionist Party condemns them unreservedly.
“We also condemn the violence which broke out in east Belfast, and the disgraceful hate-filled bile from the stage at the Ardoyne Fleadh.
"With regard to comments by Paul Maskey, I would say to him that the Ulster Unionist Party’s record of consistent and unequivocal record of condemnation of all violence, regardless of who the victim or perpetrator is, stands up to a degree which Sinn Fein can only dream of.
“For most of my adult life I have witnessed Sinn Fein representatives failing to condemn the most brutal acts of violence.”