A MASS meeting is to be held in the new year to formulate a strategy on the flag protest, according to one of the protest speakers.
The news comes as the Belfast Chamber of Commerce warned that a number of high profile businesses look set to close as a “direct result” of the recent civil unrest.
Chamber president Joe Jordan welcomed Saturday’s peaceful protest in Belfast city centre but said figures will be correlated in the new year which will show the economic effect of recent events.
Warning traders not to withhold their rates as it is against the law, Mr Jordan said the Chamber will be seeking a rate rebate.
“We are hoping also to supersede that with a rates holiday next year because there is no doubt in our mind that there will be shops closing as a result of what has happened over the past two weeks.”
Meanwhile Jamie Bryson, who has spoken at more than 30 protests across Northern Ireland, revealed a mass meeting is being organised by the United Protestant Voice.
Speaking after police dealt with more than 50 mostly peaceful protests within an hour on Friday night, Mr Bryson said everyone will be invited to the meeting to give their views.
“From that we will develop a strategy with an end game and move this on. The meeting is planned for the first week in January and they are in discussions about the venue as it is to include everybody across the Province.”
He said there will be an open invitation but no political parties will be invited. “It will all just be people on the ground. They will be asked to give their views as to how they want the protest to go forward.”
Police said they dealt with some “minor incidents” on the Lower Newtownards Road area on Friday.
“At one stage two petrol bombs were thrown at police. There were no injuries,” said a PSNI spokesperson.
Mr Bryson, 23, said there had been a lot of anger on the Lower Newtownards Road, claiming a number of homes had been attacked in the Pit Park area in the early hours of Friday morning.
However, he praised the peaceful protest particularly on Saturday.
“There wasn’t much disruption to the traders in Belfast on Saturday. As far as I know the city centre wasn’t blocked.”
He denied support for the protests had waned, saying people had commitments coming up to Christmas.