A FORMER senior PSNI officer has called for a system of “swift justice” to be used against flag protestors who engage in violence.
Jim Gamble, one of six candidates shortlisted to replace former chief constable Sir Hugh Orde when he left the PSNI in 2009, said he is “extremely proud” of the police he described as being “put in the middle of an extremely difficult situation”.
He said: “They have a duty to make sure that those who break the law are held to account. I’ve been following the news and I see that we’re up to over 100 arrests.”
Calling for out-of-hours magistrate sittings, Mr Gamble said: “It would be great to see night courts. It would be great to see those people arrested being more swiftly sentenced in the way that we saw in London [after the August 2011 riots], where people who create public order conflict are held to account and there is a demonstrable deterrent because they are imprisoned.”
Speaking on BBC Radio’s Nolan Show yesterday, Mr Gamble said: “I also saw on Twitter last night someone saying that protestors say that if police continue to arrest them that they’ll just escalate the protests.
“Well, too bad. If you go out and break the law, police have the means these days, technology-wise, to capture your image and many images have been circulated on Twitter.
“And where I would begin to become critical of the police service, is if the evidence that was gathered during these events wasn’t later used to hold those individuals that blocked our roads, committed criminal offences, intimidated others, prevented people getting to hospital when they could, if those people weren’t ultimately prosecuted.”
In relation to the “wider insecurities” in Northern Ireland communities, Mr Gamble said: “That needs to be addressed by collective political leadership, and I say that as a citizen of this country, as someone who lives and works here and loves the place, we need to have that collective cross-party responsibility that we saw during the Good Friday Agreement.
“Where people bit their tongues on occasion, didn’t say the things they might normally have said, so that the insecurities that exist, in both communities can be effectively addressed.
“We did it before and I’m sure that we can do it again.”
On Saturday afternoon, around 1,000 protestors gathered in Belfast city centre for what has become a weekly demonstration. It ended the seventh week of protest since the City Council voted to fly the Union Flag at the City Hall on designated days only. A high-profile police operation ensured there was no repeat of the interface violence witnessed the previous Saturday.
However, a statement issued by church and community leaders in east Belfast last Thursday had called for troublemakers to stay away from the area. The statement had the backing of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando paramilitary groups in east Belfast. More than 100 police officers have been injured as a result of the violence that has followed some protests.
The latest figures released by the PSNI reveal that 133 people have been arrested in relation to flag protest offences with 97 charged and eight reported to the Public Prosecution Service. A further 26 have been released on bail and one person released unconditionally.
In a leaflet handed to protesters by police in Carrickfergus on Friday, the PSNI acknowledged a right to peaceful protest but warned: “If you break the law you will be summoned to court, prosecuted and receive a criminal record.
“A number of arrests have already been made and police will continue to take robust action to ensure the law is upheld.”
The Parades Commission has confirmed that only seven flag-related protests – almost all in Co Tyrone – have requested legal permission since the demonstrations began in early December.
Although not all protest activity requires prior permission, protestors walking into Belfast on Saturday afternoons would be in breach of the law.
A spokesman for the Parades Commission said: “The commission have no statutory role in relation to gatherings of people. However the Public Processions Act 1998 makes it clear where people wish to process in a public place they are under a duty to notify the commission.”
He said the same Act made it clear that anyone “wishing to organise a parade is legally obliged to notify the Parades Commission”.
In her weekly internet blog published yesterday, Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie was promoting Northern Ireland as “a very safe place” to host the World Police and Fire Games this August.
The upbeat message follows last week’s blog in which the senior officer said it was “quite depressing” to be commenting on protests and public disorder.
“I had hoped that common sense would prevail and that somehow those who disagree with the decision about the Union Flag would have found some other way to deal with their anger and frustration. I am appalled that almost 100 police officers have been injured, millions of pounds of the policing budget diverted, which could have been used for more positive things,” Mrs Gillespie said.
Metro bus services in the east Belfast area continue to be affected with Translink announcing restrictions from 5.30pm onwards each evening until further notice. Several routes will experience diversions with information available from Translink on (028) 90 66 66 30.
The Union Flag flew over Belfast City Hall on Sunday to mark the birthday of the Countess of Wessex.