Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GROOMED FOR VIOLENCE
Warning vulnerable kids being ‘coerced’ by criminals into rioting
VULNERABLE kids are being “coerced” into rioting in Northern Ireland, an expert warned yesterday.
Children’s Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma spoke out after a week of unrest, in which youths pelted police with petrol bombs.
She said: “This is criminal exploitation and coercion by adults of vulnerable and at-risk children... these adults have to be held accountable.”
LEADERS must act now to stop violence escalating into a “catastrophic situation” over the summer, the chair of the Police Federation has warned.
Mark Lindsay said officers having to enforce coronavirus regulations has been an “absolute nightmare” which has “decimated” trust in policing.
He accused the Executive of not giving the PSNI enough support over the challenge of having to police confusing and ever-changing restrictions.
In an interview with the Mirror, he also called for increased recruitment and better funding for the
PSNI to match the political “soundbites” of support for policing.
Dozens of officers have been injured during a week of rioting in mainly loyalist areas and at a number Belfast interfaces.
Mr Lindsay, who represents rank-and-file officers, said: “I think that’s all very disappointing and very very sad that we’ve reverted back to that whenever there was so much hope for how we move forward in the future.”
Mr Lindsay said the injuries sustained by officers include lower limb and concussion-type injuries as well as minor burns as a result of petrol bombs.
He added: “I’ve spoken to a couple and obviously they see it as part and parcel sometimes of their role when they’re put into these positions.
“But I think they share the frustrations that we all feel around police being pitted into the middle of what effectively is out of their control and is the outworkings of bigger political and social issues.”
Mr Lindsay defended the PSNI’S use of water cannon and baton rounds at some incidents, saying that any authorisation for use of force “is always done through the proper authorities and rationale”.
Parades and bonfires were largely cancelled last year as a result of the pandemic, but it is unclear whether they will be permitted to go ahead this summer.
The Orange Order in Belfast has said it is “reviewing” its engagement with the PSNI after criticising its handling of the Bobby Storey funeral controversy.
Some loyalist bonfire groups have also said they will not engage with police this summer after accusing them of “two-tier policing”.
The PSNI had recommended prosecutions against 24 Sinn Fein politicians for alleged breaches of Covid-19 regulations limiting gatherings in attending the large-scale republican funeral last year, but prosecutors last month ruled out taking action.
The Public Prosecution Service cited police engagement with the funeral organisers and inconsistency in Stormont’s Covid-19 regulations as the reasons for not pursuing prosecutions.
Loyalist anger over the outcome and simmering tensions over post-brexit Irish Sea border arrangements have been blamed for sparking the recent rioting.
Asked about his concerns moving into the summer period, Mr Lindsay said: “I think we need to be working now to ensure that we don’t end up in some sort of violent, catastrophic situation where we’re facing violence and are facing issues from communities who are engaged around bonfires and parading.
“We have a few months’ notice here and that’s where really we’d be looking to all political and community leaders to be looking strategically at how we approach this season.
“I think it always conjures up images of risk and threat for police if we have large numbers of people coming onto the streets wanting to confront police officers.
“We don’t want to be pitted against any community, and that’s where I think we have to work with and trust a lot of the times our politicians and community leaders to ensure that whatever comes over the next few months is done in a peaceful manner, and in a manner which enables people to do it in a safe way.”
We don’t want to be pitted against any community MARK LINDSAY YESTERDAY