A protest in the area earlier in the day had dispersed, before factions broke away and launched an onslaught on police lines.
Disorder was also reported on Mountpottinger Road and Beersbridge Road, where a car was set ablaze. But PSNI chief constable Mr Baggott said officers were fully prepared to deal with the ongoing street disturbances.
"Fifty-two colleagues have now been injured while protecting the community during a series of violent incidents.
"You may be assured there will be sufficient resources in the event of more disorder for however long is necessary."
Politicians and church leaders held talks at the Rev Mervyn Gibson's Westbourne Presbyterian Church to try and forge a resolution.
The meeting was attended by two unionist MLAs, the DUP's Robin Newton, the UUP's Michael Copeland, UUP leader Mike Nesbitt and other unionist councillors for the East Belfast.
Mr Gibson said unionist leaders were seeking meetings with police chiefs over allegations of brutality by some PSNI officers, including use of batons against non-rioters.
Robin Newton of the DUP said a lack of engagement from protest organisers was making it difficult to see an end to the unrest.
"We have to find a way out of this, but how we do it I don't know," he said.
Naomi Long, Alliance Party MP for East Belfast, who received a death threat over her party's role in the flags controversy, said she has not been invited to the talks.
Chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland Terry Spence said gunfire against police officers was a worrying development.
"What it quite clearly demonstrates is the fact that paramilitaries have hijacked this flags protest issue and they have turned now their guns on the police," he said.
An attack on the home of an SDLP South Belfast councillor was linked the disturbances, the nationalist party said.
SDLP leader and South Belfast MP, Alasdair McDonnell, said unionist leaders and protest organisers needed to take full responsibility for the attack.
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