Loyalists ‘not likely’ to return to violence
And the UK Government has responded to claims the Irish Sea border upsets the Good Friday Agreement.
Northern Ireland's chief constable has said he does not believe loyalists are likely to return to violence.
Simon Byrne has described a letter from the Loyalist Community Council to the Prime Minister withdrawing support for the Good Friday/Belfast agreement as a “political move''.
“We don't see the prospect of a return to protest or violence,” he told the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
“We are prudently looking at an assessment of what that means in terms of a policing response or indeed any need to change our posture over the weeks ahead.''
Mr Byrne said there has been 200 incidents since the start of January related to opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
He described them as criminal damage, graffiti or the erection of posters and banners that signal a lack of support for the protocol.
“We are keeping an eye on that,'' he said.
Downing Street has also now responded to the letter.
In a statement, it restated its commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement following the withdrawal of loyalist paramilitary support for Northern Ireland's historic peace deal.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: “We are fully committed to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.''
The Government “will continue to work to safeguard Northern Ireland's integral place in the United Kingdom'', and to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.
“We are determined to protect the agreement in all of its dimensions.''