Northern Ireland 41 police officers injured in unrest

over 4 years in The Irish Times

A total of 41 police officers have been injured in recent disturbances in loyalist areas in the North, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said on Tuesday.
Nine more officers were injured on Monday evening in Ballymena, Co Antrim during disorder around an illegal loyalist parade.
First Minister Arlene Foster condemned the violence and disturbance.
The DUP leader said she met with a number of people who have been affected by the violence.
Speaking in Fermanagh, Mrs Foster said: “I’ve spoken to some youth workers across Northern Ireland and they have expressed to me that part of the issue, not it all, but part of it is the fact that there are no youth centres open at present because of Covid restrictions.
“I’ve asked the Executive to look at that urgently and to get those youth centres open immediately ... so those youths can come off the streets and come away from some malign influences that are in our society.”
Mrs Foster also said that she spoke to Mark Lindsay of the Police Federation on Tuesday.
“The rule of law is very important to me, individually and as party leader, and last week when it was very clear that the rule of law had been damaged because Sinn Féin presented themselves as above the law, a special status for their funeral whilst everybody else had to deal with the restrictions at particular points in time.
“I recognise that there is huge anger about that. But if the rule of law is to mean anything, it is that everybody is equal under the law and everybody has to be equally subject to the law.
“So I say to young people who are angry at this moment in time – do not get yourself a criminal record. It will blight your life for the rest of your life, you won’t be able to go on holiday where you please to go. So please, please, desist from the violence.
“There is a better way and the way is through politics.”
Assembly recall
The Stormont Assembly is set to be recalled for an emergency debate following the disorder.
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long had called for MLAs to debate a motion condemning the recent attacks on police in loyalist areas.
The party secured the required support of 30 Assembly members for the Assembly to be recalled from Easter recess, with a sitting likely to take place on Thursday.
“There is no room for ambiguity – this violence must be condemned by a united Assembly, which fully supports the rule of law in Northern Ireland,” the Alliance Party leader, Naomi Long, said. “Anything less is just allowing a culture of lawlessness to grow and further poison our community.”
The PSNI said on Tuesday that Tactical Support Group officers were attacked after police attempted to engage with those present at an un-notified parade in the Crebilly Road area of Ballymena at about 9.35pm on Monday.
The officers are expected to be able to return to duty on Tuesday.
A stretch of the M2 was closed for a time to allow debris to be cleared from the carriageway, including a wheelie bin that had been thrown onto the motorway.
Petrol bombs and masonry were also thrown at police in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus in Co Antrim, and in Derry.
In Carrickfergus, an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing articles for use with petrol bombs.
Chief Superintendent Davy Beck said the “reckless and criminal behaviour” placed officers’ lives in danger and “such senseless behaviour shows the blatant disregard those responsible have for the safety of others by throwing debris onto a motorway.
“It is extremely fortunate no one was seriously injured, or worse,” he said.
He called again on “all those who have influence to do what you can to bring an end to this violence as no one wants a repeat of these disgraceful scenes.”
In Derry, two vehicles were set on fire in the Nelson Drive area of the Waterside, and bins were set on fire on the road.
Police also received a report that a brick had been thrown at a taxi on the main Limavady Road.
A number of petrol bombs were also thrown at police during a security alert in the nationalist Templemore area of the city.
On Monday afternoon, groups of loyalists, some wearing masks, marched through the streets in towns across the region, including Portadown, Ballymena and Markethill.
The PSNI are investigating those marches, which appear not to have been notified to the Parades Commission.
Tensions have soared within the loyalist community in recent months over post-Brexit trading arrangements, which it is claimed have created barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
Anger ramped up further last week following a controversial decision not to prosecute 24 Sinn Féin politicians for attending the large-scale funeral of leading republican Bobby Storey during Covid-19 restrictions.
All the main unionist parties have demanded the resignation of PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne, claiming he has lost the confidence of their community. – Additional reporting – PA

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