ULSTER ABLAZE
41 police hurt in loyalist fury over Sinn Fein funeral ruling
ministers pleaded for calm yesterday following days of violent disorder in northern ireland.
northern ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said he was ‘appalled’ that 41 police officers had been injured as he called for peace.
During several days of unrest in loyalist areas, cars were set on fire while officers had to contend with petrol bombs and bricks being thrown at them.
the skirmishes – including in parts of greater Belfast and Londonderry – first broke out last week after authorities said they would not prosecute sinn Fein politicians who attended a large funeral last year despite Covid restrictions.
the prosecution decision inflamed tensions and sparked accusations of ‘two-tier policing’ in a region that has long been a political tinderbox.
mr Lewis tweeted yesterday: ‘i am being kept closely appraised by Psni [Police service of northern ireland] of developments on recent unrest and i repeat calls for calm. i am appalled that 41 officers have been injured and my thoughts are with them. the people of ni [northern ireland] do not support violence or disorder on the streets.’
northern ireland First minister Arlene Foster called for Psni Chief Constable simon Byrne to resign over the decision not to prosecute those who attended the funeral of republican Bobby storey.
she deflected criticism for not meeting mr Byrne when she met representatives of loyalist paramilitaries just weeks ago.
the Police service of northern ireland recommended prosecutions against Deputy First minister michelle O’neill and 23 others for alleged breaches of the regulations last year over the funeral. However, northern ireland’s Public Prosecution service (PPs) announced last week it will not pursue this.
they pointed to police engagement with the funeral planners as one reason why any prosecution was likely to fail as well as the inconsistent nature of Covid regulations in the region.
UK policing watchdog Her majesty’s inspectorate of Constabulary is to conduct a review of the Psni’s handling of the funeral.
mrs Foster blamed police commanders, accusing them of ‘facilitating’ the funeral, and claimed the PPs report was ‘devastating’. the decision not to prosecute caused particular disquiet among loyalists in northern ireland, who have complained of ‘two-tier policing’ and have taken to the streets to protest in recent nights.
The violent scenes have also been blamed on Brexit and a response in the south east Antrim area by what police term ‘criminal elements’ against recent drug raids.
Despite the injuries to officers in the recent attacks, further protests are still planned.
Mr Byrne is set to brief the Policing Board later in a private session on the disorder.
Mrs Foster insisted she stands with officers but said she must ‘call out failure’.
she told the BBC’s Good morning Ulster programme: ‘Police have my full support... there is no difficulty in supporting police, we support the rule of law, it’s actually because we support the rule of law that we are so perplexed by the decision of the PPs not to prosecute those who very clearly broke the law at the Bobby storey funeral.’
the northern ireland Assembly is set to be recalled from recess today to discuss the violent disorder.
‘I repeat calls for calm’