The White House has appealed for calm in Northern Ireland and voiced its support for the Brexit protocol.

At a briefing, President Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki said: “We are concerned by the violence in Northern Ireland and we join the British, Irish and Northern Irish leaders in their calls for calm.

“We remain steadfast supporters of a secure and prosperous Northern Ireland in which all communities have a voice and enjoy the gains of the hard-won peace.

“We welcome the provisions in both the EU-UK trade cooperation agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol, which helped protect the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.”

Brandon Lewis has called on the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) to come out against violence seen in recent days in Northern Ireland.

The LCC, which represents loyalist paramilitary groups, have yet to comment on the unrest of the past week.

“My message to the LLC … is the right thing for them to do would be to come out very clearly against violence,” he said in an interview with BelfastLive.

“There is a proper political process and they have been clear that violence in the past is not the way to move forward and they need to be clear about that again.

“I would like to see them out condemning what we have seen over the last few days, and call on people in communities to behave in a way that allows the political process to represent them and work with them and people to get involved in that.

“As human beings, we would all like to see a situation where we do not have criminal gangs and adults encouraging children and young people to throw away their opportunities by getting involved in thuggery and hooliganism.

“Words fail me for what goes through an adult’s mind to encourage a 13-year-old kid to behave that way.

“We have all got a duty to call that out, including the LCC.”

The Republic of Ireland’s Taoiseach spoke with Boris Johnson earlier about the unrest in Northern Ireland over the past week.

Following the meeting, the Taoiseach released a statement saying both leaders “called for calm” and agreed to stay in contact.

“The way forward is through dialogue and working the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement,” the statement said.

Reports are coming in that crowds of youths are gathering on Springfield Road in Belfast, near where last night’s rioting took place.

BelfastLive reporter Orlaith Clinton is at the scene and said some of the young people lit pallets and placed them in the road, but a group of older men removed them moments after.

Brandon Lewis continued in his statement: “The way to deal with these things is through a democratic and diplomatic, political process. There is no legitimisation of violence to deal with any of those issues.

“It doesn’t serve anyone’s cause whatever their concern is on any given issue.”

He denied that he plans to meet with the Loyalist Communities Council, an organisation representing loyalist paramilitary groups.

“I am always willing to meet with anyone who is clear that the process for taking issues forward is a democratic proper political process,” he added.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has welcomed the Executive’s joint statement condemning the violence last night.

Mr Lewis recently arrived in Northern Ireland for talks with political leaders. He said he would be the “first to acknowledge” problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, which appears to have led to the recent unrest.

“We’ve got to see the Protocol work for the whole of Northern Ireland,” Mr Lewis said.

Michel Barnier, who was the EU’s chief negotiator on the Brexit deal, has tweeted his support for authorities in Northern Ireland working in the face of unrest.

Bus drivers have rallied outside Belfast City hall in solidarity with a driver whose vehicle was hijacked and burned last night in the west of the Northern Irish capital.

Northern Ireland’s Education Minister Peter Weir has confirmed the reopening of some youth services which operate in areas of heightened community tensions.

Mr Weir said the move is hoped to divert young people from becoming involved in “risk taking and dangerous behaviours”.

“Youth services play a vital role in supporting young people throughout Northern Ireland,” he said.

“As a society we should all be appalled at witnessing young people and even children being involved in the recent violence on our streets.

“At this time it is even more important that youth services are able to meet the needs of young people in these areas.”

Mr Weir added: “These measures are intended to safeguard and ensure the welfare of our young people and to divert them from becoming involved in risk taking and dangerous behaviours.”