Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr was speaking after a second night of violence – believed to be mainly loyalist – in north Belfast.
More than 60 police officers were injured and seven hospitalised.
ACC Kerr said he feared someone would be killed unless the violence in the Carlisle Circus area stopped.
In the run-up to the loyalist Ulster Convenant parade on 29 September, he said: “Northern Ireland cannot afford an eleventh hour solution.”
On Monday night, petrol bombs, bricks, fireworks and stones were thrown at police. A van was hijacked and pushed into police lines.
Two police officers were knocked unconscious by thrown missiles and another suffered a broken arm.
ACC Kerr said he did not believe the violence was officially sanctioned by any loyalist paramilitary groups. But he said members of these groups had been involved in the trouble.
“The community of north Belfast needs to see a resolution to this issue now,” said ACC Kerr.
“Collectively, we cannot afford to wait and we cannot have night after night of violence on our streets.”
He challenged politicians and community leaders to “sort this out, and sort it out now,” ahead of the planned Covenant parade.
BBC has the full article
