'Police are not punch bags'

THE H District Area Commander has defended his officers' actions to a disturbance in Ballycastle on the Sunday night before the Lammas Fair as 'lawful, necessary and in proportion'.

According to Chief Inspector John Magill officers were subjected to immense violence, verbal abuse and bottle throwing after 'a large mob attacked them' adding: 'We need to send out a clear message that police are not punch bags.'

Nineteen people were arrested following the incident with some taken into custody, some give street bail and others being taken to court.

The issue was raised at a Moyle District Policing Partnership meeting when a local businessman criticized the PSNI questioning 'who gave the order to deploy the riot squad and ignite trouble'.

In a written question read out by DPP member Paddy McAteer, the Ballycastle businessman said that there had been a 'party atmosphere' on the Sunday night and that such actions by the police would only create a 'bad image and therefore economic damage' for the area.

In response Chief Inspector Magill hit back stating: "There was immense violence on my officers on the Sunday before the fair when a large mob attacked them. There were 19 arrests following the trouble at John Street, Ann Street, Castle Street and the Diamond.

"My officers were subjected to verbal abuse and bottle throwing. As a result police were forced to wear protective helmets as the violence was so severe at times.

"Such actions are not acceptable and we need to send out a clear message that police are not punch bags. We want people to come to Ballycastle for the attraction and not come to break the law. We want to make it clear that the PSNI will deal with them and that there's no room for trouble makers in our town.

"I am happy that officers' actions were lawful, necessary and in proportion to what they faced. And there were no problems afterwards over the Lammas Fair event.

"However if people are unhappy with our actions then they should contact the Police Ombudsman and make a complaint."

The police chief also highlighted local officers commitment to the night time economy continuing: "I am glad that our planning had been sufficient so that officers could deal with the trouble. We are always committed to policing the area correctly and helping the nighttime economy in Ballycastle."

Inspector Bryan Hume also outlined that he had been round to most of the bars stating: "Everyone said that we had done a good job and there were no complaints from the people I spoke to."

Having listened to the comments Mr McAteer said that the local businessman was putting forward his complaint at the meeting and didn't want to write to the Ombudsman.

In a separate statement an Independent Moyle Councillor Padraig McShane claimed that the trouble witnessed in the Diamond area on the Sunday night before the Lammas Fair was 'initiated by the police'.

Padraig McShane also slammed the media coverage and spin created following the incidents, claiming the 19 arrests on the night were not a reflection of the events on the ground and certainly not a reflection of Ballycastle.

Cllr McShane added: I have several questions about policing tactics used in the area that night. I will be addressing those to the head of H-District as those responsible for policing operations in Moyle do not seem to have the ability or desire to address these concerns.

"No one should doubt the positive changes to policing over the last number of years. It is important that support in a town like Ballycastle remains for policing if it is to become the complete service we all require, but this support should be tempered on the quality of the service delivered.

"I will be writing to OFM/DFM asking that they look at the Police Ombudsman Office with views to obtaining more accountably mechanisms. I will also be writing to the Justice Minister to express my concerns on policing in Ballycastle over the last number of months."

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