Police ‘prepared’ for Twelfth parades
PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott says there is room for apprehension ahead of the Twelfth of July parades next week following last month’s rioting in east Belfast.
Speaking to UTV, Mr Baggott said he is still hoping for a peaceful marching season.
“I don’t expect trouble but it will be naive not to say that we have to prepare for it and we’ve seen the events of the last few weeks”, he said.
“That was very localised but it was very intense and clearly there’s room for apprehension”.
Police are investigating disorder at the east Belfast interface area last month, when shots were fired and petrol bombs thrown at police as hundreds from both the loyalist and republican communities took to the streets.
The UVF were blamed for orchestrating that bout of violence, during which a press photographer was amongst those suffering gunshot wounds.
Mr Baggott says those responsible will be brought to justice.
“We always review our policing tactics and clearly on the night we were not prepared for the degree of extreme violence.
“That’s not a mistake, that’s not a failing. It’s something we learn from.”
Police have already drawn up their plans to avoid a repeat of last year’s sectarian disorder in Ardoyne which lasted for three nights, with thousands of “highly trained and highly experienced” officers available next week.
“We are very prepared for anything that comes our way but our job in this is to be peacekeepers”, Mr Baggott said.
“Our job is to make sure the law is upheld and people’s rights are respected.”
He also warned people intent on causing trouble that they will be brought before the courts.
“The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland have an intolerance towards petrol bombs being thrown, blast bombs being thrown, rocks, missiles, paving stones… and I think the courts reflected that this week with the sentencing of people that brought misery last July”.
The chief constable appealed for all sides to pull back and urged young people not to be lured into trouble by paramilitaries.
