DUP leader Arlene Foster talks to chief constable Simon Byrne

Arlene Foster has spoken with the Simon Byrne to discuss the violence in Northern Ireland.
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The first minister had said in recent days that she would not meet the chief constable, because he had lost the support of the DUP.

But this morning Mrs Foster put out the following Tweet:

“I have spoken with the Chief Constable as he briefs political parties. Thoughts are particularly with those officers injured by the unjustified & unjustifiable violence of recent days.

The first minister Arlene Foster at a Covid press conference alongside the chief constable Simon Byrne at a Covid press conference last yearThe first minister Arlene Foster at a Covid press conference alongside the chief constable Simon Byrne at a Covid press conference last year
The first minister Arlene Foster at a Covid press conference alongside the chief constable Simon Byrne at a Covid press conference last year
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“Those responsible must be subject to the full rigour of the law.All must be equal under the law.”

It is not made clear if the discussion took place by phone or in person.

On Wednesday, Mrs Foster said that she believes the leadership of the PSNI has “compromised itself to a point where it needs to change”.

The DUP leader said: “I support all of those police officers who are having to deal with an outrageous couple of nights of violence and I stand foursquare with them but as a political leader and as a public representative I don’t just have a right to talk about these issues, I have a duty to call out things when they are not correct.”

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