Black Lives Matter : Migrants Forum calls for PSNI apology and scrapping of sanctions issued at protest in Derry

Derry based charity, North West Migrants Forum, which aims to create equality for people of different ethnic backgrounds in Northern Ireland, joined together at the weekend with various other groups to call for an end of institutional racism, police brutality and historic complacency over the loss of black lives.

The NWMF said it had put measures in place at the rally to ensure any attendees could take a stance for justice in a safe way with participants encouraged to keep two metres of distance between each other. They were also all provided with facemasks, gloves and hand sanitiser.

The PSNI were also in attendance at Saturday’s rally and issued fines to attendees for what they described as a breaching of social distancing rules.

The NWMF board and members met together to discuss the police conduct at the rally and decided collectively to respond to the incident.

Lilian Seenoi- Barr, Director of Programmes at the NWMF said: “As a community we feel deeply hurt and angered by the policing tactics that were employed by the PSNI at our rally in Derry/ Londonderry on Saturday in Guildhall Square.

“We believe that the treatment our protestors endured, who were adhering to social distancing laws and were also within their rights to a peaceful protest, to be highly disrespectful and disproportionate to the circumstances. This has now sadly caused us to have a high level of distrust in the police, a relationship that we believe up until Saturday to be a good one.

“We feel that the PSNI disrupted our efforts to protect public health with our social distancing tactics, they issued 57 fines to attendees and also left our protestors, who conducted themselves in a safe and peaceful manner, feeling intimidated from their anti-riot vehicles and visible weaponry.

“In the wake of Saturday, we met with the PSNI Chief Constable to relay our hurt and anger and we also intend to write to the Justice minister who had additional enforcement powers added to the coronavirus public health legislation by the NI Assembly on Friday 5 June.”

Ms. Seenoi-Barr claimed: “The reality of the situation is that the behaviour of the police was uncalled for on every level and we as a community demand answers and an apology as to why they chose to conduct themselves in this manner.

“We also call upon all political leaders in our city and ask them they respect our freedom of expression and to condemn the PSNI. We want to see the citations issued and prosecutions withdrawn, only then can we begin to rebuild trust and engage meaningfully with the PSNI.”

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said on Monday: “Two events in support of ‘Black Lives Matter’ took place in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry this weekend. Around 500 people gathered at each protest, contrary to the current Health Protection Regulations.

“We were very clear in our messaging ahead of the protests – that people should not attend them. Had we not done this, we believe that thousands could have turned up – making social distancing impossible and increasing the risk of spreading the virus.

“We conducted checks on travel routes and transport hubs across Northern Ireland on Saturday, requiring people to return home rather than travel to the unlawful gatherings. No arrests were made in either city but 71 fines and Community Resolution Notices (CRNs) were handed out for breaches of the Health Protection Regulations.

“A number of individuals will now be reported to the Public Prosecution Service with a view to prosecution. It should be noted that the police’s job is to identify offences when they are committed: it is the role of the PPS to decide if prosecutions should take place.

“In other times, we would have worked with the organisers and protestors to facilitate lawful and peaceful protests to mark the avoidable and unnecessary death of George Floyd, but these are not ordinary times. The Health Protection Regulations are in place to protect us all during this pandemic and it is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to them to protect our society.”

The North West Migrants Forum was founded in February 2012 and is committed to promoting equality of opportunities and protection for people of different ethnic backgrounds in Northern Ireland.

For more information on the North West Migrant Forum and the Black Lives Matter movement, visit www.nwmf.org.uk/.