PSNI target GAA celebrations, ignore loyalist attacks

An openly political bid by PSNI chief Jon Boutcher to criminalise three members of his police force for taking part in local sporting celebrations in south Armagh has been greeted with widespread disbelief.

It follows a social media clip showing a PSNI vehicle being driven in Camlough, County Armagh, using lights and sirens and flying an Armagh GAA flag, amid a joyful cavalcade of cars cheering the county’s first all-Ireland success in 22 years.

The force (formerly the RUC) enjoyed impunity throughout decades of anti-Catholic oppression, collusion, and murder – so the move to bring criminal charges against a member for alleged driving offences has come as a bitter irony.

Two other PSNI members are also under criminal and misconduct investigations for allegedly activating lights and sirens on their patrol cars during the celebrations for ‘a purpose other than their policing duties’.

Even former assistant PSNI chief Alan McQuillan described the bitter backlash as “utter nonsense” and “political garbage”.

Other senior PSNI figures admitted it was just a sop to the sectarian demands of unionist politicians. “People are angry. It feels like political policing,” one told the BBC.

The footage of the incident had ironically been praised by some nationalist politicians as evidence of improved community relations between the Crown Forces and the overwhelmingly nationalist and republican people in the border area.

SDLP representative Justin McNulty had described the officer’s actions as “a positive sign of the times” while Sinn Féin Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd had said the PSNI members “did more for community relations than any recruitment campaign”.

The contempt of the PSNI leadership for the GAA and their followers is also becoming clearer in east Belfast, where there is growing anger over the force’s failure to tackle repeated attacks and threats against a GAA club in predominately unionist east Belfast.

The latest alert took place at pitches used by the club after two suspicious devices were planted there. It is just latest in a series of over a dozen threatening and violent incidents for which the PSNI has always failed to identify any suspects.

These included pipe bombs placed under members’ cars as they trained; a screwdriver Sellotaped to a female player’s vehicle; crosshair targets spraypainted on the walls; football nets set on fire; engine oil poured over goal mouths; and glass scattered on pitches before kids’ games.

Earlier this week, Belfast City Council said that they had been forced to take action to install security measures at the council-owned facility. CCTV cameras and new lighting are also being installed as additional security measures at a cost of some £40,000. It is also planning to erect perimeter fencing around the site.

South Belfast Assembly member Deirdre Hargey said the attacks were “disgusting” attempts to intimidate children and adults and to “subvert the growth” of the native Irish sports.

“This is an attack on the entire community and must be condemned by all political representatives and sporting organisations. We must stand as a collective against this vile behaviour which is unwanted and uncalled for in today’s society.”

Urgent Appeal