PSNI harassment claims a second life

A west Belfast man has died in troubling circumstances after being arrested and questioned for over ten hours by the PSNI last week.

The family of Paddy Green have demanded answers after a stop-and-search operation became a life-threatening and ultimately fatal encounter.

Mr Green had been driving to his brother’s house when he was stopped by the PSNI. Despite seeking attention, Mr Green was refused treatment for what was an urgent condition. Instead, his detention at PSNI Musgrave Barracks was extended overnight to allow his interrogation to continue. It was only when his condition deteriorated the following morning that he was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital. He passed away on Wednesday, a week after his arrest.

The Police Ombudsman’s office have said that they are “making preliminary enquiries”. Mr Green’s family said they have questions about the care he received in police custody.

“He should have been taken to hospital straight away,” they said. “As a family we’ve questions that need answered and we can only hope that the police ombudsman is able to provide us with those answers.

“It’s too late for our family, but it needs properly investigated so no other family have to go through what we are now.”

Mr Green’s death at the hands of the PSNI is the second to be investigated by the Police Ombudsman in the last two months. In September, Gerard ‘Maco’ McMahon died in hospital hours after being arrested in Belfast city centre, also in suspicious circumstances.

They come amid a fresh wave of PSNI harassment against nationalists, particularly in west Belfast, where the force has been conducting an aggressive campaign of stop-and-search operations and arrests.

It also comes amid revelations over the PSNI’s use of military-style training methods. A report by the Policing Board raised concerns about what it said was a “pseudo militaristic” boot camp at a police college in east Belfast, where recruits are grouped into “squads” and required to march in formation.

Responding to the report, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said “a police officer isn’t a member of the army; a police officer is a member of the community”.

Saoradh said its activists would be undeterred by the increasing oppression from the PSNI. They said they would continue with plans to hold a commemoration fot IRA Volunteer Patricia Black next Sunday, which they said was being targeted by the PSNI.

“Saoradh activists will not be intimidated by paid lackeys of British Imperialism intent on disrupting us as we plan to commemorate our martyred dead,” they said.

“Instead we remain committed to staying true to the ideals they fought and died for. Courageous Volunteers like Patricia Black, who took the war to Britain at the tender age of 18 and lost her life in the process.”

Urgent Appeal