Derry Daily
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Tuesday 6°CWednesday 7°C

Derry Daily Derry Daily Derry Daily

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Derry CityNewsPolicingPolitics

Black Lives Matter protesters to sue police

written by cassoscoop December 24, 2020
ShareTweet

Protestors in Derry take the knew at Black Lives Matter rally in June this year

BLACK Lives Matter protesters are to sue police over their handling of demonstrations earlier this year.

Calls have also been made for the force to rebuild damaged relationships with black and minority ethnic communities.

It comes after the Police Ombudsman concluded that claims of unfair and discriminatory police treatment of Black Lives Matter protests in Derry and Belfast were justified, although it said the unfairness was “not intentional” or based on the race or ethnicity of those involved.

The PSNI faced criticism after handing out fines for Covid regulation breaches during the summer while other gatherings in apparent breach of the rules did not witness similar action.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson said confidence in police among some within the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities had been severely damaged.

In response to the report, PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne said he was sorry that relations with those minority communities had been damaged and vowed to “put things right”.

A statement endorsed by many groups representing Black and Minority Ethnic communities, including groups in Derry, welcomed the report but expressed concern about some of the findings.

“To say that there was discrimination but that it was unintentional is no excuse,” they said.

“The ombudsman also says that she believes that the unfairness she identified was not ‘based on the race or ethnicity of those who attended the event’. But on what basis was the discrimination if not on race or ethnicity?”

Calling for police to offer a “proper apology” and take action to address failings, they added: “We urge both the PSNI and political leaders to recognise that institutional racism remains endemic across Northern Ireland… and that urgent steps need to be taken to dismantle it and the necessary resources need to be allocated to the task.”

Solicitor Darragh Mackin, who represents protesters, said the police actions “rode a cart and horses” through their human rights.

“We now have been instructed to take formal steps for the recovery of the fines in question and for damages for the unlawful detentions that ensued as a result of the police actions,” he said.

Patrick Corrigan, programme director of Amnesty International in the North of Ireland, said police had failed to uphold people’s rights to freedom of expression, protest and peaceful assembly.

“These investigations must lead to a fundamental reassessment of how the PSNI approaches the right to protest and to the necessary work of rebuilding their badly damaged relationship with Northern Ireland’s Black and Minority Ethnic communities.”

People Before Profit councillor Matt Collins, who was cautioned during the Belfast protest, said it had been “a master class in social distancing” and described the PSNI actions as “utterly shameful”.

“All fines and threats of prosecution must be dropped immediately,” he added.

Black Lives Matter protesters to sue police was last modified: December 27th, 2020 by cassoscoop

Tags:
Amnesty InternationalBlack Lives Matter protesters to sue policeChief Constable Simon ByrneDerry Cityguildhall squareMarie AndersonPatrick CorriganPOLICE OMBUDSMANPSNI
ShareTweet
cassoscoop

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

McLaughlin calls for greater cross-border collaboration on...

2 hours ago

Police investigating sudden death in Derry

18 hours ago

Man arrested over Derry drink-drive scrambler incident

18 hours ago

Eastwood welcomes Irish Government’s renewed commitment to...

18 hours ago

New partnership between NWRC and Open University

18 hours ago

Jobs: E+I Engineering announce multiple vacancies

1 day ago

McLaughlin expresses concern at Flybe administration

1 day ago

O’Neill: Red alert for campaign Save Our...

1 day ago

Eastwood to nominate Bloody Sunday families for...

2 days ago

Memorial service held for Bloody Sunday victims

2 days ago

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Email

Features

  • Derry cancer survivor Noeleen McMorris reveals importance of awareness

    July 25, 2022
  • Competition! Win tickets to Northern Ireland v England Women’s Euro 2022 match

    June 17, 2022
  • Glenapp Castle: Only a few miles from home but a million miles away

    December 20, 2021
  • DD Travel Feature: The Unsung Shores of Portugal

    November 12, 2021
  • Derry meeting led young Donegal woman to high profile murder

    July 16, 2021

Courts

  • Two men to stand trial for murder of journalist Lyra McKee

    January 23, 2023
  • Derry man jailed for six years over ‘heinous’ sex offences

    January 18, 2023
  • Top Derry officer not moved as punishment, says chief constable

    January 16, 2023
  • Man charged over police car ramming incident in Derry

    January 16, 2023
  • Former Derry police commander suing PSNI over ‘discrimination’

    January 12, 2023

Donegal Daily

  • ‘I wanted them out for their families waiting’ – The Creeslough digger driver who didn’t stop

    1 hour ago
  • Donegal couple bring first ‘fast track’ Mica case to court

    1 hour ago
  • Concert sends message of hope and healing to Creeslough

    10 hours ago

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
Derry Daily

© 2023 Derry Daily. All rights reserved.


Back To Top

Posting....