PSNI “make life hell”
Republican is stopped and searched 400 times in 3 years
A man accuse the PSNI of harassment after being stopped and searched around 400 times over the least three years.
The Newry republican, a father-of-three who wishes to remain anonymous, says the police have been stopping him on average one every two-and-a-half days and has accused them of abusing their powers.
He claims the PSNI is waging a campaign of “political policing” against him and says he has blue search slips, given to hime by officers, to prove it.
He told the Sunday Mirror yesterday: “I’m training to do a few marathons to raise money for suicide awareness charity PIPS. I was collecting sponsorship money last Tuesday and I was stopped and searched again. The sponsorship forms was taken and they were looking at who had sponsored me.
“I’m being tortured and I’m not the only one. My friend has also been stopped around the same number of times as me.
“If this was happening to foreign nationals there’d be race riots. It’s a disgrace. It’s political policing – the idea to bully and intimidate. I haven’t been convicted of anything, except for something way back when I was 17. I’m 37 now, in full time employment and I’m not employed in any militant activity. I’m not a member of SInn Fein or any other grouping.
“It’s hostile behaviour. Why aren’t their resources directed against people selling drugs or attacking old people?”
Stephen Murney, a éirígí spokesman for Newry, claimed he has also been stopped and searched dozens of times, and added: “There are around 18 people – republicans – who are stopped and search on regular basis.”
He added: “Because you hold an opinion and hold a political belief that means you’ll get stopped and search – now that’s political policing.”
According to the lates figures available 554 people were searched in the Newry and Mourne by police between October 1, to December 31, 2011. Over 2,100 people were stopped and searched during last year in the same area.
A police spokesman said: “The PSNI has processes in place to ensure that Stop and Search powers are used properly. Any member of the public who has a complaint should take it to the Police Ombudsman’s Office for a full investigation.”
