The leaders of the 5 main parties in Northern Ireland are meeting today to discuss the on-going flag protests.

The meeting was called by the Alliance party leader David Ford who wants a united response from all the party leaders to the recent violence.

Protests have taken place since the decision not to fly the union flag every day at Belfast City Hall.

A number of politicians from both sides of the community have received death threats and yesterday 5 representatives received bullets in the post.

A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said "Police are currently dealing with a number of suspicious packages which have been located in the post room at Stormont".

Bullets sent to Assembly members

Sinn Fein said letters containing bullets and addressed to assembly members Gerry Kelly and Alex Maskey had been sent to Stormont.

The Alliance Party said bullets were posted to party leader David Ford, East Belfast MP Naomi Long and local councillor Gerardine Mulvenna.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt are to set up a Stormont forum to focus on the flag issue and other areas of concern.

More than 40 police officers have been injured in almost 3 weeks of disturbances triggered when Belfast City Council voted to reduce the number of days the Union flag flies at City Hall there.

Watch archive footage of the protests below: