Video – ‘Tour of the North’ PSNI actions involving Gerry Kelly and Carál Ní Chuilín

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

'Acting on behalf of his parents, I approached the PSNI jeeps in which he was held and asked to talk to the senior officer'

A POLICE armoured Land Rover at a controversial Orange Order parade on Friday evening drove at Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly after the parents of a 16-year-old nationalist arrested asked him to intervene, the North Belfast MLA has said.

Carál Ní Chuilín MLA was injured and taken to hospital but released later with torn ligaments.

The incidents came as one thousand Orangemen and supporters and 15 loyalist bands breached a Parades Commission ruling during the ‘Tour of the North’ unionist parade by playing music as they went through a nationalist neighbourhood.

Gerry Kelly said there had been  a confrontation at the Peter's Hill end of Carrickhill where loyalists had attacked nationalist homes.

North Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor Conor Maskey tweeted after the event:

“Insanity in Carrick Hill tonight after parade end. After arrest of 16-year-old, Gerry Kelly was carried for yards atop PSNI Land Rover bonnet!”

Gerry Kelly said in a statement later:

“Following the Tour of the North parade, in which there were numerous breaches of the Parades Commission determination by a number of bands, there was a confrontation at the Peter’s Hill end of Carrickhill where loyalists had attacked nationalist homes.

“Community and political representatives – including myself and Carál Ní Chuilín – moved quickly to restore calm to the area.

“During this time a 16-year-old was arrested. Acting on behalf of his parents, I approached the PSNI jeeps in which he was held and asked to talk to the senior officer. We were told that this would happen if we moved aside. We did so yet the Land Rovers sped off.

“I stopped the third PSNI Land Rover and demanded to speak to someone in charge. The driver moved the Land Rover into me, forcing to hold on to a security grille on the vehicle when they drove off at speed, taking me with them for a considerable distance.

“The group of people who had gathered tried to stop the jeep for my safety and Carál Ní Chuilín was injured in the process and has since been taken to hospital.

“These actions were dangerous, reckless and provocative. This is no way to deal with anyone, let alone elected representatives seeking to restore calm to an area in an already tense situation.

“Only a number of weeks ago I attended a conference in Wales which discussed the PSNI handling of these sorts of public order situations and the impact they have on community confidence in policing. Tonight’s incident is a huge backward step in that process.”