Any anti-Islam protests in NI will be policed ‘effectively’, says Boutcher

Jon Boutcher urged people in society to push back against the “poisonous nonsense” being propagated by those seeking to organise demonstrations against the Islamic faith.

At the monthly meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, independent member Marian Cree asked the police chief if he was aware of social media posts calling on people to attend a series of anti-Islamic events on Saturday.

“We are aware of it, we're still trying to understand who's behind it,” said Mr Boutcher.

“There's no set organisation showing themselves on social media which sort of defines the cowardly nature of the people who do this nonsense.

“There is obviously, from the social media calling, an intention to try and do something on Saturday.

“We have got a gold (command) structure in place around this.

“We're looking into the intelligence now to see who, if anybody, is actually involved and going to respond to this.”

His comments came after two nights of disorder in England following the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport on Monday.

Violent unrest has been witnessed in Southport as well as in London, Hartlepool and Manchester.

“I would point people to what happened in London yesterday and Hartlepool, and obviously Southport, this is based on poisonous nonsense,” Mr Boutcher told the board meeting in Belfast.

“It has no basis in a society that's seen what hatefulness can do to a society and I would appeal for everybody, everybody to push back against any of this utter awful nonsense.

“But if there is going to be any gatherings, we will police them and we will police them effectively.”

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said he was aware of a social media post calling for a gathering at Belfast City Hall and a subsequent protest march.

He warned that any march needed the permission of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission. “To date no such procession has been notified to the Parades Commission,” he said.