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Politicians, the police and community leaders in Northern Ireland have have called for calm after two days of disorder in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland.

The violent scenes have followed an attack on man in Belfast on Monday.

On Wednesday, public transport was shut down across Northern Ireland , some schools closed early, and in Belfast city centre many businesses closed before they usually do.

It's also led to some people having to leave their homes to move somewhere safer.

The disorder began following an attack on a man in Belfast on Monday night.

A man, from who came to the UK from Sudan, has been arrested and charged by police over that attack.

Then on Tuesday and Wednesday night violence broke out in some areas of Belfast with crowds gathering, clashes with police, and vehicles, bins and buses being set on fire.

Â鶹Éç correspondent Dan Johnson explained that homes and streets that were believed to belong to immigrants were being directly targeted.

Dan said that police officers were "escorting families from their homes and putting them into their Land Rovers to drive them to safety".

Following the disorder, some roads and houses have been left damaged, and there are some burnt vehicles on streets too.

Politicians in Northern Ireland, and elsewhere in the UK, have expressed shock at the original attack which took place, and have also strongly criticised the disorder which followed.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill described it as "outright thuggery" and criticised attacks on "innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here".

Echoing that message, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said taking frustrations "out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong".

She called for people to "act in an entirely peaceful way," adding that "violence does not advance any cause, it damages it".

Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the the attack in Belfast was "horrific" but called the disorder "totally unjustified".

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson appealed for "voices of influence within local communities to encourage peaceful protest and discourage any involvement in violence or disorder".