NI’s political leadership calls for no repeat of George Floyd protest as PSNI say they will not take any action over mass flouting of law

The First Minister has stressed there must be no repeat of scenes which saw an estimated 2,000 people gather at Belfast City Hall to protest the death of a man in police custody in America - in clear defiance of coronavirus restrictions.
3/6/2020: The rally in Belfast city centre today in protest about the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA3/6/2020: The rally in Belfast city centre today in protest about the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA
3/6/2020: The rally in Belfast city centre today in protest about the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA

She was speaking as the PSNI essentially announced they are going to do nothing about the mass flouting of the rules at the protest, saying that it would not be worth their time.

Arlene Foster was backed up by deputy Michelle O’Neill and health minister Robin Swann in calling for alternative kinds of protest to that seen on Wednesday in Belfast, as they delivered the daily Executive press conference in Belfast.

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And this evening justice minister Naomi Long has weighed in, telling the News Letter people should avoid “any large gatherings at this time”.

Another protest is planned for this Saturday in the city centre.

The chief constable said this afternoon that there had been no arrests are yesterday’s mass gathering, and the PSNI did not answer when the News Letter asked if any fines or cautions had been handed out.

Regarding whether action will be taken about the demonstration, the PSNI issued a statement to the News Letter this evening in the name of Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd, reading: “In balancing the rights of lawful assembly, lawful protest and understanding that the organiser did not intend or anticipate such a large number of attendees which ultimately led to the social distancing problem.

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“It is our current view that the expenditure of thousands of hours of police time in seeking to put these matters before the PPS is unlikely to be proportionate in all the circumstances.

“This does not mean in any sense that this would be our position moving forward in other circumstances.”

George Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis after a police officer, who is white-skinned, kneeled on his neck for several minutes – in an encounter which was filmed and has been broadcast across the world.

Mrs Foster said: Be very clear, mass gatherings such as we’ve seen in front of City Hall are a breach of the law. There should not be a repeat of that.

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“I think that from now on the police will be watching very carefully what happens in relation to mass gatherings. I know that they are speaking to organisers of future events.

“We are saying very clearly today from this platform that if you want to have a peaceful protest in relation to any issue then there are other ways to do that.”

Michelle O’Neill meanwhile said she stands “full square behind the Black Lives Matter campaign”, adding: “But we have to send a message very clearly but by gathering in such big crowds we’re actually spreading the virus and actually that’s killing people so we’re asking people to protest in a different way.”

Robin Swann added that while “we were all shocked by what happened in America... people coming together in large numbers, no matter how they try to socially distance, still present a risk to themselves as well as others”.

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Naomi Long meanwhile said: “I’m committed to opposing racism at every opportunity and so empathise with the desire of people to show support for the black and minority ethnic community right now...

“Under normal circumstances, I’d have been at the City Hall to stand in solidarity with them; however, these are not normal circumstances. We are still in a pandemic.”

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