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The arrest, which took place on Friday, has sparked high political feelings, with the Chief Constable taking the unusual step of holding a press conference on Saturday night to apologise and announce the suspension of one officer and the removal of a second to other duties.

On February 5, 1992 the UDA murdered five people in a shooting at Sean Graham’s bookmakers on the Ormeau Road. The event on Friday was in remembrance of those who had been killed.Police approached a man about alleged Covid regulation breaches at the event. Police said a man was then arrested in relation to resisting arrest and disorderly behaviour and one police officer suffered minor facial injuries in the incident.

On Saturday the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) tweeted that it had spoken to the Chief Constable about the “real concern” within the PSNI ranks of how “due process re:unfortunate incident on Ormeau Road has been bypassed”.

The PFNI added: “Officers involved attended on instruction in respect of #covid legislation and should not be made scapegoats.”

In a second Tweet the PFNI said: “We will extend every assistance to the officers involved, including legal representation in the course of what is now a disciplinary process.”

However it is understood that although the PFNI only have 8000 followers on Twitter, the two tweets have in total been viewed almost 160,000 times.

It is understood that this number of views “is unheard of for the account” and is being seen as “an indication of the depth of feeling on the issue”.

Nationalist politicians have strongly criticised the actions of the PSNI in relation to the arrest while unionists have claimed action has been taken against the two officers outside of due process.

The Chief Constable is meeting delegations from a range of political parties today about the matter, including Sinn Fein and the DUP.

While TUV leader Jim Allister has called on him to resign, Mr Byrne has enjoyed public support from Justice Minister Naomi Long and has insisted he will remain in post.

Chief Constable refuses three times to say if PSNI helped plan Bobby Storey funeral - Jim Allister accuses him of hiding behind PPS without legal justification

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Ormeau Road arrest: Police Federation tweets against ‘scapegoating’ officers viewed unprecedented 160,000 times - Sean Graham Bookmakers memorial row