PSNI’s support for loyalism called out

The PSNI is under pressure to end its ‘kid gloves’ treatment of unionist paramilitaries after a surge in unchecked hate crimes brought a response from a leading human rights organisation.

The Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) said there had been a “reluctance” on the part of the police to pursue the UDA and UVF for their recent anti-migrant violence.

The ECRI hit out the failure to tackle the unionist murder gangs following their violent attacks against migrant-owned businesses and places of worship.

The human rights watchdog said it understood the PSNI’s refusal to investigate the recent increase in attacks was due to a “fear of upsetting the fragile peace”.

But in a report, it called for the British authorities in the North to “carry out effective investigations.. to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable”.

The PSNI was also accused of “inconsistency” in response to the refusal of the force to tackle anti-Catholic hate crimes.

The PSNI recently declared the lyrics of notorious unionist tunes such as the “No Pope in Rome”, which includes a stream of sectarian invective, and the “Billy Boys”, which speaks about killing Fenians, to be inoffensive.

The controversy arose in August, when there were calls for action after unionists were filmed chanting ‘F*** the Pope and Virgin Mary’ at a social club linked to Irish league soccer club Coleraine FC in August.

Policing Board member, Mark H Durkan of the SDLP, questioned the PSNI’s double standards.

“I think the public would be shocked that music like this, with well-known connotations, could be played in a council-owned venue, with no action taken by any of the parties involved.

“This again highlights the need for stand-alone hate crime legislation to clearly define the law, but also to inform how police handle incidents like this.”

Since then, loyalists have been emboldened to commit other hate crimes.

The UVF has been blamed for vandalism to dual-language signs in the Clogher Valley area of County Tyrone, while the UDA has been linked to an “absolutely sickening” social media post days before the Greysteel massacre anniversary.

The UPRG, an ‘advisory body’ to the UDA, shared a Facebook post about Halloween with the words ‘trick or treat’, adding ‘stay safe at Halloween’ (pictured).

That was a reference to a sectarian massacre on October 30 1993, when two masked gunmen mointed a gun attack on civilians in the Rising Sun bar in the Derry village of Greysteel, killing eight and wounding 19. They shouted ‘trick or treat’ before opening fire.

SDLP East Derry Assembly member Cara Hunter said: “For a group with links to the UDA to make a post like this days before the anniversary of the Greysteel massacre is absolutely sickening.

“It shows a total disregard for victims and their families and will further compound the hurt they feel at what is always a very difficult time of year for people in Greysteel.

“The strength and dignity of the families stands in stark contrast to those behind this hateful post.”

Urgent Appeal