Man hospitalised after vicious PSNI assault

A republican in Derry has had his arm fractured in three places during PSNI raids in the city.

Gary Donnelly, who is a member of the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, said police had denied him first aid after he was taken to Derry’s Strand Road police station despite his his injury.

Mr Donnelly said the PSNI had stopped him at Foyle Street in Derry on Friday night and began searching him. When he asked them what legislation they were searching him under he was pushed to the ground.

“The officer, very forcefully with his two hands out, and he shoved me and he came at me a second time. I put my hands up,” Mr Donnelly said.

“He grabbed me and put me in a headlock, threw me to the ground and I think there were two or three officers came in behind and one of them, I believe, stuck a knee on my arm and cracked it.”

Mr Donnelly said he had realised immediately that his arm was broken and asked for an ambulance.

“They ignored it and proceeded to handcuff me, put my arm behind my back, put a handcuff on the bad arm,” he said.

The PSNI then took him to the Strand Road station, he said.

According to Mr Donnelly, despite his appeals for an ambulance, he received no medical attention until his lawyer took him to hospital upon his release about three hours later.

He said he believed he had been singled out because of his republican beliefs.

His colleague Patrick McDaid, who was with him at the time, said four PSNI men had been involved in the incident.

Sinn Fein Assembly member Martina Anderson called for a full inquiry into the incident. “I would urge any witnesses to make statements to the Police Ombudsman and for any CCTV coverage to be made available to the investigating officers.

“It is important that if the PSNI are to be held to account that this inquiry is carried out swiftly and that any information on this incident is brought forward.

“This man has previously been harassed by the PSNI because of his political beliefs and this is unacceptable. People are entitled to hold their own beliefs without prejudice from any form of policing.”

Urgent Appeal