‘Police caused Newry riot’ – Eirigi | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

‘Police caused Newry riot’ – Eirigi

The Camlough Road was the scene of a security alert and a riot

Eirigi in Newry has claimed that police provocation caused the riot in Newry’s Camlough Road last night.

A police spokesman told Newry Times that officers were attacked with stones, bricks and petrol bombs while they dealt with a suspicious object in the area. Eirigi spokesman Stephen Murney however, dismissed this and instead pointed the finger of blame on the PSNI for ‘creating and provoking a serious riot situation in nationalist areas.’

Speaking to Newry Times, Murney stated, “Under the guise of an alleged ‘security operation’ the PSNI, accompanied by the British Army, arrived in force and proceeded to surround and seal off the Derrybeg and Carnagat areas. Dozens of armored PSNI land-rovers, armored cars, jeeps and British army lorries kept these areas under siege and at one stage two PSNI helicopters kept the local population under surveillance.”

He continued, “éirígí activists from these areas received numerous reports from residents concerned at the heavy handed actions of the PSNI and were at the scene immediately to ensure the safety of their communities. As we have seen numerous times in the past couple of years the British forces have a history of provocation in situations like this and this instance was no different.”

Murney’s interpretation of the riot situation differs greatly from the PSNI explanation. Murney explained “While engaging with the community we witnessed several armored land-rovers driving at speed towards a group of young people who had gathered to watch what was happening. This deliberate attempt to intimidate and provoke the community created a riot situation in which stones, paint and petrol bombs were thrown, with various media reports stating a PSNI member was injured.”

“The blame for this trouble lies squarely with the PSNI who spent their time goading and driving armored land-rovers directly at young people. éirígí activists remained in the area until the British state forces withdrew, leaving the local community to pick up the pieces and clear the destruction left behind by actions of the PSNI.”

He added, “These communities are no strangers to Crown Force repression and have been to the fore in resisting this repression over the years. If the PSNI aren’t harassing residents in these areas by using stop and search legislation and house raids they are provoking our local youths to create riot situations such as this.”

Related articles:

Security alert on Camlough Road

‘People are sick and tired’ – Brady on security alert

Police man injured during security alert disturbances

‘Thugs with nothing to offer’ – Irwin on petrol bomb throwing youths

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=15440

Posted by on May 25 2012. Filed under Community, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

7 Comments for “‘Police caused Newry riot’ – Eirigi”

  1. Neil

    I am not a fan of the police, but Stephen Murney is delusional with his conspiracy theories on how the PSNI are out to get the residents of Parkhead.

    Nobody forced them to ruin part of the town. Nobody forced them to make petrol bombs, paint bombs or gather stones or bottles. Any time there is any presence of authority in that area of the town, the thugs all jump at the chance of riot as there are never any repercussions to their actions.

    How about blaming the problem, how about blaming the ones that chose to destroy their own area. Blame the useless scumbags that enjoy rioting all whilst contributing nothing to the town.

    Skip rats the lot of them.

  2. sinead

    i think what you wrote is very HARSH on the good people of the areas

  3. wilbert

    Neil’s comment was not about the good people of the area but about those who rioted – these rioters have nothing positive to contribute to the well being of the wider community – any excuse for recreational rioting – young people egged on by so-called adults who should no better – this whole report of the ‘event’ was from Stephen Murney who of course doesnt have a hidden agenda

  4. ex town resident

    Murney’s interpretation of the riot situation differs greatly from the PSNI explanation. Murney explained “While engaging with the community we witnessed several armored land-rovers driving at speed towards a group of young people who had gathered to watch what was happening. This deliberate attempt to intimidate and provoke the community created a riot situation in which stones, paint and petrol bombs were thrown, with various media reports stating a PSNI member was injured.”

    So these youths turn up to see whats going on ? with petrol bombs stones etc

    these youths normally walk round with these materials?

    who ya trying to kid Mr Murney ??

  5. eamon

    @ ex town resident: Do you have any evidence or direct knowledge that these youths initially arrived with paint and petrol bombs in hand and that they did not go to their nearby home and gather these materials after being provoked?

    The critics of the “rioters” remind me of those French who supported the Vischy Government and the German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine during the 1940s, and who criticized the French Resistance.

    • Tee

      I have never had a bunch of bored teenagers compared to french resistance before!!!! A little over ambitious. last year when they hijacked and burned out a locals van they didn’t even know what internment was!!!

      Doing it in the name of a cause???? I dont think so…

  6. Tee

    I watched as youths flouted the cordons. Threw bricks at the bomb disposal team. All this before “A” landrover revved it’s engine to disperse a group of youths moving forward towards the cordoned area of the road. I live here and I watch as incidents like this are orchestrated at every opportunity. I watched as a certain Sinn Fein MLA argued with police that it was their presence that caused the youths to gather and he wanted them out of the estate onto the main road. (easier targets there)

    I was appauled at some police attitudes but to be honest completely expected those from Parkhead and Derrybeg to behave in the way they always behave, with or without police presence. You can see the devastation they cause behind the shop on a saturday night and at the playground, where in their boredom they set fire to wheelie bins at the back of houses and tear up the special ground covering in the kids playground…….

    I dont agree with heavy handed police, nor arrogant ones that tar us all with the same brush, but there was going to be trouble no matter how many police turned up !!!!

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