‘We’ll shoot you’
Two Derry republicans have received threats warning that they will be shot following an altercation in a city centre pub.
The PSNI visited both men on Wednesday night to inform them they were aware of the threats after a call to a local charity warning that the men would be shot that night.
The threats arose after a fight in a Waterloo Street bar on Monday night.
A number of those injured claimed they were attacked by dissident republicans who had previously attended an event at Free Derry Corner to mark the death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Some people were pictured drinking there.
One of those under threat, Eamon McGinley, sustained a deep cut above his eye in the altercation in the bar. He got several stitches.
“When the trouble started I was trying to move people out of the way. A glass or bottle was thrown, cutting me above my eye.
“Then there was a scuffle with about seven or eight men trying to hit me. When I got outside a doorman told me to run before the crowd kicked me to death.”
The Creggan man added that later that night a group of masked men armed with baseball bats forced their way into his neighbour’s house looking for him.
On Wednesday night he was told by the police that a threat had been made against him, warning him to leave the city or be shot. He insisted that he is not leaving and called for the threat to be lifted.
“This was a row in a bar, it should never have escalated to death threats,” he said.
Another man who was attacked in the bar, Liam McMonagle, also from Creggan, said he was kicked in the face while on the ground, resulting in a broken cheek bone.
“I had my hands out wide trying to calm things when I was dragged to the floor. I was stamped on twice and I rolled into a ball to protect myself but they kept kicking me in the head,” he said.
Mr McMonagle also claimed a number of men tried to punch his girlfriend when she went to his aid. He is not under threat.
Foyle Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney said; “I can’t understate the seriousness of this. It’s very clear that this faction or gang are totally out of control and wreaking havoc with the aggression of a bully. These threats need to be lifted and this faction masquerading as republicans needs to be disbanded with immediate effect. There can be no excuses for their actions, there can be no wriggle room and trying to explain this away nor people attempting to give them political cover. It has to stop and it has to stop now.”
A PSNI spokesperson said they responded to a report of an altercation in the Waterloo Street area around 1am.
“Several people reported injuries and one man was arrested.”
