POLICE have been urged to operate a "clear and consistent" approach to flags after removing racist emblems in Belfast yesterday - but refusing to intervene on loyalist paramilitary flags.
Officers intervened to take down two Ku Klux Klan (KKK) flags from lamp posts on Island Street in the east of the city.
Politicians branded the display sickening yesterday amid concerns over a spate of racist attacks in the area.
However, the quick response by police in removing them has sparked fresh criticism of the PSNI's policy on the removal of contentious flags.
Police have previously refused to remove divisive flags unless there was a "substantial risk to public safety".
But in recent months officers appear to have strayed from their official stance on the matter.
Officers were filmed in May removing Union flags from the loyalist Mount area of east Belfast, which faces the nationalist Short Strand.
On Monday loyalists claimed officers tried to stop them putting up flags on lamp posts near Lisburn Road police station.
Last month the PSNI said it would treat any further loyalist flags flown in the mixed Ormeau Road area of south Belfast as a "breach of the peace".
Despite this, the PSNI has refused to act on paramilitary flags being flown in parts of the north.
In response to UVF flags in the village of Newmills, Co Tyrone, the PSNI said: "The removal of flags is not the responsibility of the PSNI and police can only act to remove flags where there are substantial risks to public safety."
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell called on the PSNI to have a "clear and consistent" approach to the matter.
"When flags are being used to provoke peace and stability there is an obligation on the PSNI to act swiftly," the South Belfast MP said.
"The PSNI should have a clear and consistent approach to the removal of illegal flags and should not be hindered or deterred in their work of doing so."
The KKK, a secretive racist society based mainly in southern US states, opposes civil rights for African Americans.
A light-blue flag featuring an Aryan eagle over a KKK symbol with the words 'New Order Knights' and
'Ku Klux Klan' was seen along Island Street on Monday. The flag had been taken down by yesterday morning.
Police were also photographed removing another KKK flag said to have been flown nearby.
The image appears to show an officer standing on top of a police Land Rover and reaching towards a red KKK flag.
Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey said all contentious flags should be removed.
"The same rules should apply to all flags which are deemed by local communities to be offensive and unnecessary," the South Belfast MLA said.
"The PSNI has demonstrated in the past that they will remove flags. That shows that it can be their job to remove flags under certain circumstances."
A voluntary flags protocol had previously been in place across the north
since 2005 which sought to remove all paramilitary emblems.
However, the agreement was abandoned by loyalists at the start of the 2012 loyalist flag protests.
The PSNI last night said: "Police responded to a report that a KKK flag was flying on a lamp-post in the Island Street area. Within this area there are a number of families from an ethnic minority background.
"Following discussions with local residents and local representatives the flag was removed.
"Until the Joint Protocol in Relation to the Display of Flags in Public Areas is updated, the Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to work with communities and respond to any issue where there is a concern for public safety or where there is believed a criminal offence has occurred."