Seventeen PSNI officers have been assaulted over a 24-hour period, the organisation said on Sunday.
The officers suffered injuries in six separate incidents across Northern Ireland between Saturday and Sunday. While several police officers required hospital treatment, none are believed to have suffered serious injuries. A number of suspects are in custody.
“For 17 individual officers to be subjected to violence, spat on, kicked and slashed in a single day beggars belief,” Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said on Sunday evening.
On Saturday afternoon four PSNI officers were responding to an incident involving a man who had collapsed on the street. The man “lashed out” at officers, headbutting one and punching, kicking and spitting at others, the PSNI said.
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The 38-year-old was arrested and put in a police vehicle but continued to act violently. The interior of the vehicle was damaged and put out of service for several hours.
The man has since been charged with several offences including assault on police, grievous bodily harm and criminal damage. He is due to appear at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday morning.
Two of the police officers required hospital treatment but were later able to return to duty.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, five PSNI officers were responding to a domestic violence report in Antrim when they were attacked by a man wielding a large piece of broken glass.
Three officers suffered cuts and required medical attention. The 32-year-old suspect was arrested and place in a PSNI vehicle which he damaged, putting it out of service for the rest of the night. He remains in custody.
A separate incident in Ballymena saw three officers injured while responding to a report of an assault near Linenhall Street. They were punched in the face and head and their uniforms and equipment were damaged. The PSNI said a 28-year-old man is in custody.
In another incident, an assailant stuck and spit on three officers in Belfast while being brought to hospital. He had sustained injuries during an earlier altercation. He also remains in custody.
Also in Belfast, a 34-year-old man has been charged with attacking a police officer, criminal damage and disorderly conduct during an incident on Union Street, Belfast in the early hours of Sunday. He is due before Belfast Magistrates on November 3rd.
Finally, a 30-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting a police officer outside a Belfast hospital and causing criminal damage to a police vehicle.
The PSNI said a 29-year-old man was arrested at the same time on suspicion of assaulting police. The woman is due before the courts next month. “It is appalling that any police officer should be subjected to violence whilst simply doing their job,” Assistant Chief Constable Todd said.
“Whilst we come to work knowing we could be faced with difficult and dangerous situations, it is completely unacceptable that officers should be physically attacked.
“These horrible incidents just show the often grim reality of what officers on the ground are facing each and every day as they work to help people and keep our communities safe.”
