The Police Service has warned that small criminal
elements appear determined to raise the temperature of the
marching season through attacks on buildings which are seen
by local communities as culturally important or symbolic.
In a joint statement, Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie,
who is responsible for the Service’s Rural Region, and
Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland, Urban Region,
have urged people to be vigilant generally, report their suspicions
to the police and support officers in their investigations.
The statement continues: “Northern Ireland is moving
forward. Progress is steady. People are optimistic for the
future. Yet there are some very small groups of people who
seem to be firmly anchored in the past. They have little or
no support. But they don’t seem to have woken up to that
fact yet.
“It appears that in order to serve their misguided ends
they try to raise tensions particularly ahead of set times
in the Northern Ireland calendar like the Twelfth of July.
One of the ways they are doing this is to attack buildings
which are of importance and significance to their neighbours.
“The risk is that these attacks are sometimes seen by
others as an invitation for retaliation. No-one in the overwhelming
law abiding community wants to see that.
“We have had a series of attacks on Orange Halls. But
we have also seen attacks on buildings which are culturally
important to the Catholic community.
“We have stepped up police efforts generally across the
country. Operational officers in the eight Districts are being
tasked to be aware of potential attacks and damage. The very
isolated rural nature of some of these buildings is a problem
in itself.
“We will play our part but others have a part to play
too. This is a time for everyone to show civic responsibility,
to support their neighbours and to demonstrate to those few
who would seek to disrupt the lives of the many that they
will not succeed. Those who own premises which they think
might be vulnerable need to be talking to the police and to
take measures to protect their property. Any anyone who has
information about who is behind any attack should come to
us. We need evidence which can bring those responsible to
court and secure a conviction.”
|
