Former top police officer says ​Alliance flags and emblems plan could ‘undermine’ rule of law

​Jon Burrows says that there is already legislation in place to deal with both flags and emblems of illegal organisations, and legal emblems displayed on street furniture, but they are “generally ignored”.

His comments come as a proposed law, brought by South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw, goes out to public consultation. The Private Member’s Bill seeks to regulate or ban certain types of emblems in public places.

Mr Burrows, previously a PSNI area commander in Londonderry, which he describes as a “hotspot” for disputes on such symbols, told the News Letter that he has long argued “there is a need to reassert the rule of law in NI and take robust action on the many displays that glorify both loyalist and republican terrorism”.

He added: “However, these proposals pose several problems in terms of how they would be operationalised here. Who enforces this, do the PSNI have the capacity to do so? Also and this is key, will law-abiding communities be penalised and those who threaten violence be left alone?

“It would be perverse if law-abiding citizens went through the process in order to celebrate a cultural event and yet flagrant displays of support for terrorist groups are not enforced due to public order concerns.

“There are existing laws to deal with emblems and flags that glorify proscribed groups and also one that makes it illegal to erect flags on street furniture, but these are generally ignored.

“Alliance’s proposal could undermine the rule of law rather than strengthen them, if it creates new laws that are selectively enforced and only regulates those willing to abide by the rule.”

The PSNI said it would respond to the consultation in due course. The Department for Infrastructure, asked for their view on the proposals, had not responded at the time of going to print.

Both have previously disputed who is responsible for the removal of flags and emblems which are in breach of the law.