Nationalists protest 'aggressive' RIR searches

Nationalists in Roslea, County Fermanagh, held a protest outside Roslea PSNI Barracks on Friday 13 February in response to the increased harassment of nationalists by Royal Irish Regiment patrols (RIR).

The protest, organised by Farmers and Residents Against Military Bases (FARM), took place outside the joint British Army/PSNI base because of the ongoing harassment of the local community by members of the RIR.

A number of local men have come forward to relay their experiences of being stopped and searched over the last week. James Murray told how he was stopped twice in the space of nine hours last Thursday and Friday by members of the RIR, who acted in an aggressive and ill-mannered way. Another Roslea resident, Oliver McCaffrey said he was stopped by another patrol on Friday night shortly after 10pm when members of the RIR searched the boot and under the bonnet of his car.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Thomas O'Reilly said he attended the protest along with fellow councillors Brian McCaffery and Ruth Lynch after they received many complaints from local people over the increase in harassment by the RIR.