THE TARGETING of Catholic PSNI officers by dissident republican bombers is “disgusting, sectarian and against republican values”, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said.
Calling for calm in the current spate of dissident violence and ahead of tomorrow’s Apprentice Boys of Derry parades, Mr Martin said: “The overwhelming majority of decent citizens of this island have made clear: it is long past time that a full and final stop should be put to the use of violence and terrorism against anyone, in particular PSNI officers doing their job.” Pointing to the marches in Derry and the parade past Ardoyne in north Belfast, he called on community leaders and parents to work for calm.
However, noting the increase in attacks on police officers in general and on Catholic PSNI members in particular, he added: “On behalf of the Irish Government, let me once again be crystal clear: there can be no justification whatsoever for threats of any description against any PSNI officer.
“The targeting of any officer on grounds of their religion is a disgusting and sectarian attack against them and against genuine republican values. We have fought long and hard and successfully to transform policing through the implementation of the Patten report. The large increase in the number of Catholic police officers has been one of the key achievements of this transformation.”
PSNI officers working in the service of their communities deserved thanks and full support, he said. “Yet another example of such service was evident last week as officers brought people to safety from the explosive device left outside Strand Road PSNI station, at grave risk to themselves.”
This was the latest pointed statement from the Minister attacking dissidents and pressing for supporters of the new political institutions and the PSNI to make a firm stand. Following three nights of sustained and serious rioting in Ardoyne after the march past of Orangemen returning from the Twelfth demonstration, Mr Martin said dissidents involved were “unqualified partitionists”: “The biggest threat to Irish unity is not the British, or the Orange Order, but those wannabe republicans who think that they can bomb and shoot their way there.”
A DUP delegation which met PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott yesterday, also pressed for the community to face down those intent on trouble. The delegation, headed by East Derry MP Gregory Campbell, said the talks had been positive and centred on countering the dissident threat.
“The DUP is committed to securing for the police everything they need to win this fight: whether that is additional resources or help from other agencies or branches of the State,” the party said in a statement.
“We informed the Chief Constable that he must never be afraid of the political consequences when it comes to asking for more to protect our community from those who are intent on plunging us back in to death and bloodshed.”