Hardline republicans in Derry say increased security measures in the city in the last 48 hours "expose the lie" that policing has changed.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement in Derry say several of their members have been “harassed” since police patrols were stepped up.
A spokesperson for the group locally insists the increase in PSNI patrols is part of a plan to criminalise republic
ans.
“Since Tuesday night the RUC/PSNI have been harassing republicans all over the city. We continually hear about the so-called new beginning to policing but all we see is the same old RUC and the same old tactics. It exposes the lie that policing in the Six Counties has changed. It makes a mockery of normalisation process that we are told about. What is normal about getting stopped by the police everywhere you go?” the spokesperson asked.
The spokesperson also claimed five members of the 32 CSM were stopped and questioned at a vehicle checkpoint in Bishop Street on Wednesday. “The police were carrying out house raids in the Bishop Street area and we were going along to see what was happening and the RUC/PSNI ordered five of our members out of car and searched and questioned them under anti-terror legislation,” he said.
The 32CSM representative claimed the widespread nature of the PSNI’s operations suggests a lack of intelligence about republicans. “These checkpoints and operations were carried out in Derry, Coleraine, Strabane and all across the North West. To us this would suggest a lack of intelligence,” he said.
