Derry community leaders call for independent review of policing tactics, disturbances and hijackings

In a joint statement Conal McFeely, Tony O’Doherty, Shauna Deery and Gerry Quinn of Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership (CNP) said there are widespread concerns about recent incidents in the Creggan community, including: police house raids, stop and search tactics and other disruption activity by the TSG (Tactical Support Group)/ TIU (Terrorism Investigation Unit), and the subsequent burning of vehicles in the area.

There were speaking after incidents earlier this week, which included the arrest and de-arrest of a 14-year-old boy sparking widespread concern.

Meanwhile hijackings and vehicles being torched in Creggan and other areas across the city over recent days have been widely condemned, and resulted in some delivery services being temporarily suspended to various areas. In some estates police came under attack as they attended security operations.

Earlier this week, responding to concerns over search operations, PSNI Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said that prior to any search activity conducted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland “a comprehensive and thorough assessment is undertaken, including the impact on the community which is considered along with the purpose of the search”. She added that police “seek to ensure all of our interactions are professional, respectful and courteous”.

The Creggan community leaders meanwhile said: “We, as the community, need to listen and to speak out, to ensure that everyone fully understands the negative consequences of such events and the social, economic and reputational damage to individuals, families and the wider community.

“Creggan has been fully compliant to public health guidance, and extremely resilient and considerate during the Covid lockdown – an exemplar in how a community should respond to a crisis. According to current statistics, this area has among the lowest reported crime figures in the city and, contrary to the widely-reported, albeit ill-informed, perception, Creggan is in fact a very safe and caring community.

“The last number of weeks, however, have seen a number of serious incidents which we believe require further investigation. CNP believe there is an underlying context to this week’s disturbances, which has gone largely unreported and hence has, again, led to a very one-sided picture of this area being portrayed.”

The community leaders said that local young people and families are telling them, and other community representatives, that they are being “deliberately targeted by highly aggressive, frightening policing procedures/tactics”. “And it is incumbent on us, as a socially-just community, to take account of all available evidence, to establish a full and fair perspective of the situation,” they said.

They added: “CNP in no way condone or excuse the activities leading to the physical, mental and reputational damage done by, or to, any person or property in this community. We are aware, however, that there is a specific context to recent events – this response did not happen out of nowhere. And we also believe that there is a responsibility on all of us to examine that context and engage with young people and local residents – both to listen to their concerns and to ensure that they understand the extremely negative consequences of the destruction of community or private property, and the knock-on effects in relation to the traumatic impacts on affected individuals and the denial of public services to the area.

“There is a growing concern about the ‘cause and effect’ nature of ongoing police activity in the area and recent community disturbances. Many within this community believe that current police actions only serve to undermine public confidence in policing and indeed the independence and effectiveness of the local and regional police oversight bodies which are supposed to hold police to account. Our public representatives and church leaders should be concerned, and not be afraid to speak out, about how our area is being policed and is being impacted by the resulting destruction of community or private property.”

Following a process of mediation with relevant groupings, it has been established that there is no impediment to the resumption of all delivery and maintenance services in the area.

“Tensions are high in the area at the moment – there is a great deal of hurt and frustration which needs to be acknowledged and the specific reasons for these sentiments need to be explored.

“CNP believe there is a critical need for an independent review of the recent disturbances – and their context – and will engage inclusively with the entire community to ensure that any such process will be as fair and transparent as possible.”

Local Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly earlier this week also expressed grave concerns over the series of raids in the Creggan area.

Colr. Donnelly said that this was “just the most recent in a series of raids that in my view have been deliberately provocative and deliberately targeted children.”

Colr. Donnelly said he had been contacted on at least four separate occasions by families reporting children being targeted and in certain circumstances having phones seized which belonged to their mothers. He said the nature of the incidents were traumatic for the children, some of whom have special needs, and their families, including the incident earlier this week.

“They are doing this safe in the knowledge no-one will speak out, and in this area there is a disproportionate policing by TSGs and a lot of it is provocative,” he claimed.

Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan meanwhile said she will meet the PSNI this week as part of a delegation to discuss the incident, which she said involved a vulnerable child and “reports of heavy-handed policing”.

“This vulnerable child has been very badly affected by his ordeal. The public rightly expects the very highest policing and human rights standards and we will hold the police to account when their actions fail to meet those standards.”

Speaking about the policing operations earlier this week, PSNI Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said: “Prior to any search activity conducted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland a comprehensive and thorough assessment is undertaken, including the impact on the community which is considered along with the purpose of the search.

“We are mindful of the impact that such searches have on the community and we seek to ensure all of our interactions are professional, respectful and courteous.

“Protecting the public and keeping people safe is and will always be our priority.”

The PSNI have said that anyone who has a complaint can contact the Police Ombudsman.