By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent
Northern Ireland's police chief has made a direct appeal to protesters on the streets of Belfast to stop demonstrations or ensure they are peaceful.
Chief Constable Matt Baggott was speaking after four continuous nights of rioting in east Belfast linked to loyalist protests.
Over the weekend, police officers were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry. A number of cars were also set on fire.
Loyalists are angry at a decision by Belfast City Council not to fly the Union flag over Belfast City Hall 365 days a year.
The disturbances occurred after protesters headed home Instead the flag will be flown on a handful of designated days, including the Queen's birthday.
Since the council took the decision at the beginning of December, there have been widespread protests against the move.
The majority of demonstrations have been peaceful, but some have erupted into violence with protesters clashing with the police.
Loyalists taking part in the protests have claimed that the police have been too heavy-handed in their dealing with the demonstrations.
Chief Constable Matt Baggott said children as young as 10 have been charged Some 62 police officers have been injured since the protests began and 96 people have been arrested.
In a news conference at Police Service of Northern Ireland headquarters in Belfast, Mr Baggott said: "I would like everybody involved in these protests now to take a step back.
"My ambition is that the protests will come to an end, although you appreciate that the police are not in control of that.
"But if not, at the very least those involved in the protests should be off the road, not causing obstruction, absolutely condemning violence and ensuring that these young people are not involved.
"And that requires a concerted effort from politicians and those who have put themselves up as organisers acting together and from parents and responsible members of the community.
"At the moment there is a lack of control, which for me is very worrying."
The violence in east Belfast has also been fuelled by protests taking place close to an interface where loyalist and nationalist residents live on opposite sides of a peace wall.
Loyalists support Northern Ireland remaining as part of the UK, but nationalists generally support a united Ireland.
The protests bring large numbers of people onto the streets in the area where relations between residents are traditionally tense.
A forum has been set up to try to give those involved in the protests another way to voice their concerns other than demonstrating.
It has been acknowledged that the flag protests have unearthed deeper concerns within loyalist communities.
People living in these areas have said they feel they have been left behind by the peace process and are not benefiting from the political changes since the Good Friday Agreement.
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