Sinn Fein complain of ‘sectarian’ banner at cemetery related to Bobby Storey – but PSNI suggest no crime may have been committed

The PSNI said it is treating a banner placed at Roselawn Cemetery – where dead IRA leader Bobby Storey was cremated – as being “hate motivated”.
By Adam Kula
Published 17th Jul 2020, 18:37 BST
June 30: Bobby Storey's coffin is draped in the Irish tricolour as it is carried through Milltown Cemetery. The coffin was then taken to Roselawn Crematorium for a private service. (Photo: PA Wire)June 30: Bobby Storey's coffin is draped in the Irish tricolour as it is carried through Milltown Cemetery. The coffin was then taken to Roselawn Crematorium for a private service. (Photo: PA Wire)
June 30: Bobby Storey's coffin is draped in the Irish tricolour as it is carried through Milltown Cemetery. The coffin was then taken to Roselawn Crematorium for a private service. (Photo: PA Wire)

However, police have indicated there is doubt over whether or not a crime has been committed, saying it will act if “the criminal law threshold” is reached.

Despite references to its “sectarian” nature, Sinn Fein, Belfast City Council and the PSNI all failed to disclose what the actual wording of the banner was.

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Sinn Féin group leader on Belfast City Council Ciaran Beattie said that “in the early hours of this morning a sectarian banner was erected at the entrance to Roselawn cemetery with an apparent gloating reference to the death of our friend and party colleague, Bobby Storey”.

He said this followed on from “a series of repugnant banners which were placed on loyalist bonfires mocking his death”.

He continued: “This ongoing campaign being orchestrated by faceless trolls and thugs targeting a grieving family must cease immediately.

“I am calling on Unionist political and community leaders to show leadership and to condemn those involved in these reprehensible actions.

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“The Storey family, like all other families, deserve to grieve the loss of their loved one in peace.

“This banner has been reported to the PSNI as a hate crime.”

Mr Storey spent much of his life in prison as a result of his commitment to paramilitarism, and was at one stage the ‘Officer Commanding’ Provisional prisoners in the Maze.

The council said: “A banner with sectarian language was attached to railings at Roselawn cemetery, and was discovered by council staff as they arrived for work on Friday morning. The banner was removed by staff and the incident has been reported to the PSNI who are investigating.”

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And PSNI Chief Inspector Jonathan Wilson said: “Police received a report of an banner being erected in the Ballygowan Road area of Belfast on Friday morning (July 17th).

“Police enquiries are ongoing and we are treating this matter as being hate motivated. Should available evidence reach the criminal law threshold, and where offenders are identified, we will refer them to the PPS.”

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