'This is just bonkers': Derry's MP Colum Eastwood expressed grave concerns over PSNI summons

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood went to Strand Road Police Station with his solicitor Ciarán Shiels in protest on Friday but left after 20 minutes when no-one showed up to speak with him. He said that as far as he was concerned that was an end of the matter.

Mr Eastwood said police sought to interview him under caution after he walked with the Bloody Sunday families towards Bishop’s Street courthouse in August this year, prior to a hearing in relation to the Soldier F case.

Mr Eastwood said: "I went in by appointment for 1pm to be interviewed under caution and frankly, I had no interest in taking part in that process which I think is a sham.

"But I decided to make the point, I wanted to go and make the point to them that no member of the Bloody Sunday families would be taking part and as their MP I would be going down and saying that this is ridiculous on the foot of a complaint by Jamie Bryson that they should be even engaging in this on the foot of everything the Bloody Sunday families have been through.”

Jamie Bryson confirmed on X that he had lodged a complaint with the PSNI.

Mr Eastwood said he sat in the PSNI station on Strand Road and ‘nobody came down’. He said that as far as he was concerned that is the matter over and done with.

He said that he felt it was “utterly shocking they were even taking this seriously”.

"That they decided to ask a Member of Parliament and the Bloody Sunday families, which is worse after all they have been through, for walking up the street – there was no planned procession or anything like that – to the courthouse, the idea that this is any way in the in the public interest is just bonkers.”

Mr Eastwood said that there is no person and no power that will ever stop him from standing with the families.

“The SDLP has stood with Bloody Sunday families for 52 years. I have stood with them all my life - I was with them during the publication of the Saville report, I have been with them the whole way through the process of bringing someone to court and I have stood up for them at Westminster. I will be with them until the end of the line.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “An investigation has commenced and, as enquiries are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this time.”