Northern Ireland witnessed another night of violence as protestors threw petrol bombs, bottles and stones at police and set fire to cars.

Large numbers of police gathered in Belfast in an attempt to defuse the violent scenes that have erupted across the country since Wednesday.

Protestors were urged to stop the violence as a mark of respect following the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Friday but those pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears.

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The protests have largely taken place in loyalist areas which want to remain part of the UK, but are unhappy with the Northern Ireland Protocol introduced as part of Brexit. 

The Protocol means Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market for goods, so products moving between the UK and Northern Ireland undergo EU import procedures. Loyalists believe the checks, which are carried out at Northern Ireland ports, will damage trade and threaten the country's status in the UK. 

Sectarianism has also been at the center of some of the violence, as loyalist and nationalist groups, the latter of which want to see a united Ireland, clashed on Wednesday night.

Rival groups kicked open a gate at Belfast's peace wall, designed to keep the groups apart and reduce the risk of violence, and attacked police officers guarding the area.

Amid the chaotic scenes, several political leaders have attempted to calm the situation by urging protestors to bring an immediate end to their actions.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "deeply concerned" by the scenes, while U.S. President Joe Biden, whose ancestral family originates from the Irish town Ballina, said he wanted to see a "secure and prosperous Northern Ireland."

DUP leader Arlene Foster also condemned the violence, adding: "This is not protest. This is vandalism and attempted murder. These actions do not represent unionism or loyalism. They are an embarrassment to Northern Ireland."