Don't rush to judgement over Palestine protest arrests, say police
The public have been urged by a senior police officer not to “rush to judgement” over an incident in which two women were arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest in Belfast.
The Policing Board was told that the Police Ombudsman is now to investigate the actions of PSNI officers, given the high level of public interest.
Concerns were raised during the board’s monthly meeting today (5th) over the police response to the incident, with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly alleging it had been prompted by a sticker being placed on a bank ATM machine and an emergency call from bank staff, adding that “a lot of people are very sore over what happened”.
A high-profile campaigner against Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip, 72-year-old Sue Pentel, was one of two women detained by officers on suspicion of criminal damage during a protest in Belfast city centre in May. She and the other woman, who is in her 50s, were released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “From conversations I have had with the Police Ombudsman’s office yesterday, I understand that they are going to call themselves in on that particular incident given the public interest there has been in it.
“We absolutely understand the depth of feeling that people have around the urgency of the situation in the Middle East and how passionately they feel about it. There is hardly a day goes past without a demonstration or a protest of some shape or form.
“Conservatively, I would say over the last 20 months we have facilitated many hundreds of pro-Palestinian protests.”
He said the vast majority of demonstrations passed off without incident.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said there had been significant social media criticism of the police actions.
He added: “I have the luxury of seeing the body-worn video of the time and I was satisfied, as I have said, around the courtesy and professionalism with which the officers dealt with those that were protesting.”
Mr Singleton said: “People won’t have seen everything that has happened so maybe it is appropriate to urge people not to rush to judgment on it.
“We will see what [the Ombudsman] has to say about the incident and I can assure you, if there are any lessons that need to be learned in respect of it, we will certainly adopt it.”
Gerry Kelly claimed it was “widely known” the issue had arisen over a sticker placed on a bank machine, claiming that “four or five officers came immediately” after an emergency call from the bank.
“A lot of people, including myself, think that it wasn’t proportionate when you compare it with many other incidents where clearly action needed to be taken,” he added.
Mr Henderson said: “I think it is important to be clear that there has been a statement of complaint from the property owner, which then clearly says they are making an accusation around a potential crime and therefore that starts to bring down one course of action, in terms of where it goes.”