Around 400 extra police officers have been sent to Northern Ireland after sectarian tensions in Belfast spilled over into violence that left 32 police officers and an MP injured.
More than 600 officers from forces in England, Scotland and Wales were already in the region supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) operation.
Trouble flared in the north of the city on Friday as the Orange Order protested against the decision to ban a contentious July 12 parade from a north Belfast flashpoint.
Loyalist bandsmen played sectarian tunes at police lines while bricks and bottles were thrown.
Officers attempting to enforce the ban were pelted with masonry, bottles and other missiles during clashes with loyalists in Woodvale Road.
Officers were hit by an array of missiles including sticks and fireworks Water cannon were used to disperse the crowd and around 20 non-lethal rounds, known as Attenuated Energy Projectiles, fired.
Democratic Unionist Party MP Nigel Dodds, who had been near the police lines talking to officers, was taken to hospital after being struck on the head by a brick during the fighting, a party spokesman said. His condition is said to be stable.
The disorder spread to east Belfast during six hours of violence.
PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott on Saturday condemned those responsible for the trouble.
"The scenes were both shameful and disgraceful," he said.
"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 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."
Water cannon is used on loyalist protesters He also criticised those within the Orange Order who had called for protests, saying they needed "to reflect on whether they provided the responsible leadership asked for by myself and by the (main political) party leaders".
"Some of their language was emotive and having called thousands of people to protest they had no plan and no control and, rather than being responsible, I think the word for that is reckless."
The Republic of Ireland's deputy premier and minister for foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore added: "The violence and disrespect for the rule of law we witnessed in Belfast last night is an affront to the decent people of that city and of this island.
"The rule of law must be respected, even when people disagree with lawful decisions."
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers also condemned the riots and said there was no justification for the trouble.
MP Nigel Dodds was taken to hospital after his head injury "This sort of behaviour does nothing to promote 'Britishness' or the pro-union cause," she said.
Police were enforcing a Parades Commission ban. The ruling stops Orange Order lodges from walking on a stretch of road in north Belfast that separates loyalist and nationalist communities.
The Parades Commission - the adjudicating body set up after the Good Friday Agreement peace deal - had banned marchers from a 300-metre stretch of the Crumlin Road past the nationalist Ardoyne area.
Three lodges from the Ligoniel area had been able to walk the contested route out, but were prevented from making the return journey.
Trouble also broke out on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast. Bricks and bottles were thrown in both areas.
One man was arrested for disorderly behaviour and another for provocative behaviour.
Thirty-two officers were hurt during the 'serious disorder' Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, described the events as "shocking" and said the community had been "effectively terrorised".
"I think some of the scenes that we witnessed were shocking ... I hope now in the cold light of day that common sense will prevail," he said.
Mr McGuinness rejected claims of a "cultural war" being waged against the Orange Order, arguing that if that were the case, there would not have been a peaceful protest by thousands allowed in Londonderry on Friday.
"Leadership needs to be given by politicians, it needs to be given by the leadership of the Orange Order, and some of the absolutely blood-curdling remarks that were made over the course of the last 24 hours need now to be seen against the backdrop of contributing to the violence that we saw," he added.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly also blamed the violence on the Orange Order and unionist politicians.
"Speech after speech at the various (Orange) demonstrations were clearly designed to stir up sectarian tension and have alongside the Orange Order's failure to abide by Parades Commission determinations led directly to the violence in Belfast tonight.
"No amount of hand wringing or denial in the coming days from the Orange Order and unionist politicians can alter that reality.
"People had a right to expect better, instead what we got was a very deliberate strategy with the inevitable results being seen on the streets this evening."
The Orange Order appealed for calm and asked that all parades be peaceful.
In a statement, it said: "The Parades Commission must go, but violence is not the way to achieve it. All protests must be peaceful.
"In support of the Grand Orange Lodge's appeal for calm, the Ligoniel Lodges (north Belfast) have decided to suspend their protest over the determination for the Crumlin Road."
DUP leader and Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson also called for calm.
"Violence and attacks on the PSNI and the wider community are wrong, can never be justified and must stop," he said.
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