Council backs motion condemning PSNI for ‘disrupting’ Black Lives Matter protest in Derry

People Before Profit Councillor Eamonn McCann said his party did not accept the claim that the protest should not have taken place because it was in breach of the coronavirus regulations.

Speaking at the June meeting of full council, Colr. McCann said: “The argument that says we shouldn’t have been on the streets at a Black Lives Matter demonstration on June 6 is the same argument as would be used if someone said in Minneapolis in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd people should have stayed off the streets because of COVID.

“Now these are difficult questions. They are finely balanced arguments that people have to make. It was our judgement in People Before Profit that if the organisers could implement social distancing that they were absolutely right to go ahead. I believe that they tried to do that at the Guildhall.

“The thing that disrupted the organisation and meant that it wasn’t quite as perfect as in Belfast,” he claimed, “was that the PSNI were questioning everybody who arrived in Guildhall Square. That didn’t happen in Belfast.”

DUP Alderman David Ramsey spoke against the motion.

He said: “Our community throughout this city and district have been really supportive of government regulations, draconian measures, and these rules prevented us from leading a normal life for three months so far and will continue to affect every day life for the foreseeable future. Everyone at this meeting today and beyond have made strict sacrifices obeying very strict, oppressive lockdown rules.

“This included no physical contact with family and friends, limited health care, being housebound, shopping made difficult, fearing for key worker family and friends who could contract the disease while trying to save others.”

The motion rejected ‘the expressed view of Justice Minister Naomi Long that the PSNI action was “proportionate”’.

Alliance Councillor Rachael Ferguson, also speaking against the motion, said: ”When speaking with Minister Long she said she wants to clarify that her reference of proportionality was generally to the policing of large gatherings and it wasn’t to any specific rally or protests. She said if there was an issue with any specific one, obviously, report it to the Ombudsman.

“So we fully support the BLM movement in eradicating racism. We also know the importance of the right to protest and this has been challenging in the recent pandemic.”

The motion passed with the support of Sinn Féin and the SDLP and a number of independent councillors.

The DUP, UUP, Alliance and Aontú opposed the move.

Assistance Chief Constable Alan Todd said: “The policing operation on the day was conducted in a professional and proportionate manner.

“We were very clear in our messaging ahead of these protests that people should not attend them and the consequences for doing so - breaching the Health Protection Regulations and putting public health at risk.

“Where a Fixed Penalty Notice has been issued the recipient may decide to pay the fine or contest the matter through the courts.”