By Connla Young, Security Correspondent
August 02, 2024 at 6:00am BST
PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher has said police were taken “unawares” after Armagh GAA fans hung flags from Lurgan police station admitting that officers are more used to having things “fired” at the building.
During a meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday, Mr Boutcher was asked about an incident last weekend during which an Armagh supporter scaled a security fence outside the station after the Orchard County beat Galway to claim the All-Ireland title.
Armagh flags and a tricolour were hung from the PSNI base, which sits in the centre of the Co Armagh town, and is close to several nationalist and republican districts.
During the Troubles and since, the heavily fortified station was the target of republican attacks and protests.
Mr Boutcher said he saw the footage of the incident and has asked assistant chief constable Bobby Singleton to review if any offences were committed.
“That is subject to evidence gathering to see what can be sone,” he said.
“Obviously the items that were put on the police station, flags etc, came down that night.
“I think quite frankly that caught us unawares, I mean, we are used to having things fired at the police station, not flags put up there in celebrations.”
“But that will be dealt with regarding any public order or criminal offences in the review that I have asked to be undertaken.”
Earlier Mid Ulster DUP assembly member Keith Buchanan had asked Mr Boutcher about PSNI “impartiality” prompting Mr Boutcher to say he wouldn’t allow the PSNI to be “a political football”.
by pickneyboy3000
3 comments
Obviously they couldn’t take the flag down as per their usuals guidelines, right?
Why can’t they have Armagh flags anyway?
“Back in my day we used to throw things at the police station, uphill both ways, in the freezing cold with no shoes”
Its what terrifies allister and the dup and why they see a shiny new casement as a trojan horse. Without conflict time will bring the communities and the island together.