'˜No issues and no arrests' during City Hallowe'en celebration

The Hallowe'en Carnival in Derry-Londonderry which this year celebrates itÃ¢Â¬"s 30th anniversary and has entertained and entrapped tens of thousands of people over the last four days. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com.

The organisers and 30,000 participants at Derry's Hallowe'en festivities have been praised as it emerged there was not a single arrest during the main celebrations.

Health chiefs, meanwhile, have confirmed that “very few” people were treated at Altnagelvin’s Accident & Emergency ward for drink or drugs.

Tens of thousands of local people and visitors poured into Derry’s city centre on Monday night, joining 700 parade participants to create the biggest Hallowe’en Carnival ever staged in the city.

A spokesperson for the Western Health & Social Care Trust told the Journal: “In a 12-hours period from 6.00 pm on Monday evening, October, 31st to 6am on Tuesday morning, November 1st, there were 66 attendances in total, with 15 potentially related to Hallowe’en celebrations.

“There were very few people who required treatment for alcohol or drugs misuse.”

In 2015 there were more than 150 people treated at Derry’s Accident & Emergency Dept. over the same 12-hours period during Derry’s Hallowe’en celebrations.

The Trust spokesperson added: “The Trust would like to pay tribute to the partnership working between Derry City and Strabane District Council, Trust staff, the emergency services and local voluntary organisations who, together, made the 2016 Hallowe’en event a safe and great success.”

Meanwhile, Derry City and Strabane’s Chief Inspector Gordon McCalmont said: “It was great to see so many people enjoying themselves at the various events taking place across Derry and Strabane at the weekend and on Hallowe’en night. The Hallowe’en Festival passed off with no issues and no arrests were made during the event.”

He added that there were a number of arrests not related to the official celebrations.

“In terms of the night time economy on October 31, there were seven arrests for assaults and five for disorderly behaviour,” he said, but added: “Given the thousands of people who came to the city to celebrate Hallowe’en the fact that arrests were at this level is an indication of the desire from local people to create a positive atmosphere.

“PSNI will continue to work closely with council, partners and other emergency services will to ensure that events like this showcase the city and all that it has to offer.”