Unionist leaders united over concerns around PSNI officers' behaviour in celebrating Armagh's GAA win

The PSNI has launched an internal investigation after video footage emerged online that appeared to show police vehicles driving through the village of Camlough sounding their sirens as people cheer from the footpaths.

Large crowds turned out in towns and villages across Co Armagh to celebrate the county’s gaelic football team beating Galway to win the All-Ireland championship at Croke Park in Dublin.

The DUP, Ulster Unionists and TUV have all raised concerns, both from a road safety perspective and on issues around impartiality.

Representatives from all three parties have also expressed concerns over incidents of violence and disorder in Lurgan and Markethill.

In Lurgan, videos posted online show Armagh supports climbing on security fencing around the town’s police station as well as erecting flags. Other footage shows fighting in the street close to the PSNI station.

Yesterday afternoon, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he had already spoken to the chief constable. Mr Robinson said that the "impartiality, integrity and professional standards” of the police force has been called into question by the officers’ actions.

“They weren’t on display last night in Camlough and questions remain about events at Lurgan PSNI station,” he said.

Speaking following the meeting at police headquarters, MLA Trevor Clarke insisted the DUP delegation “were not there to tell police how to do their jobs”, but relay “genuine concerns”.

He said: “We’re very careful just to make our points in terms of the erratic driving and the manner in which the car was driven round and round the roundabout,” he said.

“We also made the point, is it fair game now for everyone to use police stations to hang whatever flags, banners, whatever they wish without any interference from the PSNI.”

He added: “We don’t want to pre-empt what police will do, other than to say they told us that professional standards are looking at this. We respect the officers involved in this have a process to go through and professional standards have a process to go through, so we’ll await the outcome of that.

“But if this was a member of the public that drove their car in that manner, what would police do? We all expect police to uphold a higher standard than any member of the public.”

Upper Bann Ms Lockhart added: “On the ground in my constituency in Lurgan where some of the incidents took place, there is real concern amongst the unionist community around impartiality and neutrality, and I think the police have a job of work to do to ensure that they address that on the ground.”

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie described the incident in Camlough as “naive and reckless”.

He said: “I have already engaged with the chief constable and I’m confident this will be addressed”.

TUV leader Jim Allister said an investigation was required into what he called "a disgraceful display” by PSNI officers.

Mr Allister said: “I will be contacting the Police Ombudsman and the chief constable following a disgraceful display by officers in a marked PSNI car... in Camlough.

“They can be seen driving through the village waving GAA flags in a fashion which could best be described as joyriding while using the siren improperly”.

Mr Allister added: “Independent policing has gone out the window and the PSNI has destroyed any pretence of being a balanced force”.

However, SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty said he did not feel like the scenes depicted in the clips breached impartiality.

“It’s a storm in a teacup. While there is no condoning careless driving, the clip I saw, I thought brilliant, fair play,” he told the BBC.

“We’re talking about moving forward, that was a huge indicator of moving forward as a society. For a police force to be truly reflective of the community they represent, why not wave an Armagh flag.

“For the feelgood aspect of this success, people should see the bigger picture, see the joy in the hearts of people here, children in such joyous form. Nothing can take away from that.”