Republican News · Thursday 13 February 1997

RUC assaults in Downpatrick

By Eamon Downey

SIX YOUNG DOWNPATRICK MEN were attacked and beaten by members of the RUC's DMSU in the early hours of Sunday morning 9 February. Three of the men were subsequently arrested and charged with disorderly behaviour.

Brothers Barry and Gerard Rhodes were badly beaten. Barry had to have four staples inserted in a head wound and was beaten while in RUC custody. A third man received five staples to a head wound. He had been pinned to the ground by three RUC members and beaten.

The RUC had been called to a fight in a pub in Church Street in the town. The fight was over when the DMSU squads sealed off Church Street and batoned anyone in the area.

According to a barman who worked in a nearby pub the men were ``badly beaten and in shock from the assaults. There was a lot of blood''.

Barry Rhodes said he was standing in the street when the RUC arrived; ``they sealed off the street at either side of the bar and indiscriminately attacked people with batons. I was hit on the head and got four staples in the cut, it just happened so quickly''.

Sinn Féin's Mick Murphy said it was clear that the RUC had over-reacted.

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