Chief constable appeals for calm after altercation at Belfast memorial event

PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne has appealed for calm following an altercation between police and relatives taking part in a Troubles atrocity commemoration event.
By Mark Rainey
Published 5th Feb 2021, 19:36 BST
Police made one arrest at a memorial event to mark the 29th anniversary of the UDA murder of five Catholics at Sean Graham's bookmakers on Belfast's Ormeau Road. PACEMAKER BELFASTPolice made one arrest at a memorial event to mark the 29th anniversary of the UDA murder of five Catholics at Sean Graham's bookmakers on Belfast's Ormeau Road. PACEMAKER BELFAST
Police made one arrest at a memorial event to mark the 29th anniversary of the UDA murder of five Catholics at Sean Graham's bookmakers on Belfast's Ormeau Road. PACEMAKER BELFAST

The Police Ombudsman has also launched an investigation after video footage on social media showed police officers arresting one man at the scene of the Sean Graham bookmakers atrocity on the Ormeau Road.

The wreath-laying was taking place on the 29th anniversary of the loyalist gun attack.

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It later emerged that the man arrested, Mark Sykes, had been shot seven times when the UDA/UFF gunmen opened fire in the premises on February 5, 1992.

Mr Sykes was released within two hours.

Last night the chief constable said officers from the South Belfast Local Policing Team had come across a group of between 30 and 40 people gathered at the memorial on the gable wall of the bookmakers.

“As the event concluded, two officers approached a person to talk to him about a breach of the Health Protection Regulations,” Mr Byrne said.

“The situation quickly escalated and a man was arrested for disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest. He was taken to Musgrave Police Station and was released at 4.04pm. In the course of the incident a police officer sustained a minor injury to his face.

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“We are now reviewing all footage of the incident including our officers Body Worn Video and have notified the Office of the Police Ombudsman, and we are carrying out an assessment of the conduct of the officers involved.

“I have personally spoken to the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister, the local Member for Parliament and a range of other stakeholders to brief them on what has happened.”

Mr Byrne added: “I fully recognise the sensitivities of this incident and just how difficult a day this would have already been for the families who lost loved ones in the atrocity. That should not be forgotten.

“We are acutely aware that this is the latest incident to raise concerns about the enforcement of Coronavirus Regulations and illustrates there are no easy answers.

“I would appeal for calm at this time.”

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A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman’s Office said: “We are aware of the incident and have received a complaint about what happened.

“Our investigation will focus on establishing all of the facts surrounding the incident, and investigators will be examining all available evidence in order to consider the appropriateness of the actions taken by police, including the arrest.”

The PONI spokesman added: “Anyone who was there and saw what happened or recorded video footage of the incident is asked to call our witness appeal line on 0800 032 7880.”

Speaking outside Musgrave PSNI station following the release of Mark Sykes, solicitor Niall Murphy said: “The only disorderly behaviour which occurred on the Ormeau Road today was by the police who had no right to be there and who have wreaked havoc on commmunity relations on the Ormeau Road and in the wider community.”

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