'˜No offences committed' by Bryson over bonfire tweet

Police have confirmed no crime was committed by prominent loyalist Jamie Bryson following remarks he made on social media over a bonfire row.
Police said Jamie Bryson (pictured) committed no crime with his tweet about a controversial bonfire licensing schemePolice said Jamie Bryson (pictured) committed no crime with his tweet about a controversial bonfire licensing scheme
Police said Jamie Bryson (pictured) committed no crime with his tweet about a controversial bonfire licensing scheme

Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gidernew reported Mr Bryson to the PSNI last week after he posted a tweet commenting on plans by Mid Ulster Council to introduce a bonfire licensing scheme for council property.

Unionists have reacted angrily to the plan which will put responsibility on bonfire organisers to take out their own insurance and adhere to health and safety regulations.

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The Irish News has reported that “threatening” posters directed at the council have gone up in loyalist areas across Mid Ulster in recent weeks, while the hardline British Truth Forum (BTF) has urged loyalists to boycott the planned licensing scheme.

Mr Bryson tweeted: “Well done to these loyalists in Mid Ulster. A number of salient points made about the lunacy of engaging with statutory-led bonfire schemes.”

Police told the News Letter that, having conducted enquiries following Ms Gildernew’s complaint, they are “satisfied that no offences have been committed”.

A PSNI spokeseperson also said that, having sought legal advice regarding the posters erected in Mid Ulster, they can identify no offences that have been committed.

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Mr Bryson accused Ms Gildernew of wasting police time with a “spurious” complaint, adding: “The PSNI should perhaps look into that.”

The loyalist blogger said the complaint was a “cheap stunt by an absent MP in an attempt to make herself relevant”.

He added: “PSNI have now confirmed what any person with common sense would have known from the get go, that there was no criminal offence to even investigate.

“Further than that, they have also confirmed that the posters that had Sinn Fein so exercised are not even illegal themselves.

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“It is good in a sense that Sinn Fein appears desperate to run to the PSNI and make complaints about everything that they perceive may constitute an offence.

“I am absolutely certain that murder and causing explosions are most certainly criminal offences so I would hope that if any Sinn Fein representatives had information about those actual offences then they will be as quick to go to the PSNI as they where when Ms Gildernew decided to become the Twitter police.”

The News Letter reached out to Sinn Fein for comment yesterday but we received no response at the time of going to press.