Gregory Campbell: Chief Constable must explain stance on INLA gunfire in Londonderry housing estate

DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has demanded an explanation from the Chief Constable Simon Byrne concerning his officers’ non-interference in a display of INLA power.
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A video and pictures surfaced at the weekend of a show of strength involving what appeared to be assault rifles at the Mickey Devine mural in the Galliagh area of Londonderry, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the death of hunger striker.

A similar display happened to honour paramilitary Patsy O’Hara in the city in May.

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An image of the gunmenAn image of the gunmen
An image of the gunmen

According to the Sunday Life, police had been forewarned of the intention to fire a volley of shots beforehand.

PSNI Superintendent Catherine Magee had told the BBC yesterday that “it is challenging to balance the requirements and needs of the community to have a commemoration and to try and have a policing operation that enables us to respond”.

She added: “We weren’t on top of the commemoration event as it was happening, as you might imagine that in itself might create community tension.”

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Mr Campbell has now written to the Chief Constable asking a further series of questions about the decisions police took around the event.

He said: “Yesterday I heard a police interview where they confirmed they had advance knowledge of this illegal event and their explanations of their inactivity.

“I outrightly condemn those who are still wedded to terror but the idea that police officers feel there is a “requirement” or “need” to facilitate such people is outrageous and unacceptable.

“I am deeply concerned by this flawed approach to policing. I appreciate the concerns about not jeopardising the safety of police officers where weapons are on display but why was there no evidence gathering?

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“Not just in Londonderry but across Northern Ireland people are sick and tired of the police coming down hard and with numbers on people who don’t wear a balaclava or carry guns, yet it appears, at several republican events, police go out of their way to facilitate.

“The DUP wants the Chief Constable to spell out what his officers mean when they say they have a role in facilitating such commemorations as took place at the weekend. We will also be exploring this with the Police Ombudsman and the Policing Board.”

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