Londonderry INLA incident is another example of PSNI sweetheart treatment of republican displays

“I want to reassure the public that all operational policing decisions are made with public safety as our primary goal.”

How can the officer responsible for the latest Londonderry terrorist debacle possibly reconcile this statement with her dismal failure to act properly, even having had ample intelligence that terrorists would carry and almost certainly discharge firearms.

Firing weapons in a crowded area, particularly by the sort of people in this case cannot, contrary to her feeble excuse, be regarded in any way consistent with public safety.

A random wild round like the one that maybe inadvertently killed Lyra McKee not long since, or even a ricochet are just as lethal as a shot deliberately aimed. Which occurrence is of course not exactly uncommon with terrorist gunmen at gatherings like this in Londonderry or elsewhere.

The PSNI’s dereliction of duty seems to me quite considered and deliberate, and all of a piece with recent police sweetheart treatment of terrorist displays like, say, the IRA show of strength at the Storey ‘funeral’ parade.

Like most from the non republican community I hold no brief for loyalist paramilitaries but have to have a wry smile at the contrast between PSNI permitting terrorist gunfire in daylight in a crowded area and the swift, somewhat hysterical and frankly a bit over the top reaction on a few ejits in masks, after dark, dandering not apparently armed through an East Belfast park.

Had the PSNI acceptance and assistance to these republican terrorists in these latest Londonderry shenanigans taken place instead somewhere else, perhaps after a Twelfth Orange parade or a band parade or some other gathering, and perpetrated by loyalist paramilitaries, we would be without doubt deafened by indignant republican howls of collusion.

Geese and ganders?

Remember Voltaire’s apt observation? “If you really want to know who rules over you find out who you’re not allowed to criticise.”

Or apparently, dare to police.

Davy Wight, Carrick

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