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Dissident Dan unveiled as Armagh police fight hardline republicans on social media Dissident Dan unveiled as police fight hardline republicans on social media
(about 1 hour later)
A stickman cartoon has become the latest weapon in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s fight against dissident republicans opposed to the Irish peace process.A stickman cartoon has become the latest weapon in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s fight against dissident republicans opposed to the Irish peace process.
Dissident Dan – with a stick body and balaclava face – was published on a local PSNI Facebook page in the aftermath of Continuity IRA gun and petrol-bomb attacks on police near the Belfast to Dublin railway line at Lurgan, County Armagh, on Sunday.Introducing their new online cartoon figure, the PSNI in Craigavon posted this message: Dissident Dan – with a stick body and balaclava face – was published on a local PSNI Facebook page in the aftermath of Continuity IRA gun and petrol-bomb attacks on police near the Belfast to Dublin railway line at Lurgan, County Armagh, on Sunday.
Introducing their new online cartoon figure, the PSNI in Craigavon posted this message:
“This is dissident Dan. Dissident Dan has an irrational hatred of trains. Dissident Dan also hates the people of Lurgan going about their day to day lives in peace. Dissident Dan lives in the past, and puts things on the train tracks in order to stop the trains, and his own community. Don’t be like Dan.”“This is dissident Dan. Dissident Dan has an irrational hatred of trains. Dissident Dan also hates the people of Lurgan going about their day to day lives in peace. Dissident Dan lives in the past, and puts things on the train tracks in order to stop the trains, and his own community. Don’t be like Dan.”
The deployment of Dissident Dan to woo younger people away from anti-ceasefire republican terror groups comes as footage was posted on YouTube showing the moment late on Sunday night when a CIRA gunman fired at least one shot at PSNI officers during a riot.The deployment of Dissident Dan to woo younger people away from anti-ceasefire republican terror groups comes as footage was posted on YouTube showing the moment late on Sunday night when a CIRA gunman fired at least one shot at PSNI officers during a riot.
About 100 petrol bombs were hurled at police lines close to the railway on Sunday. The violence around the Lake Street area of Lurgan erupted as the PSNI and army bomb-disposal experts searched for a suspect explosive device left on the railway tracks.About 100 petrol bombs were hurled at police lines close to the railway on Sunday. The violence around the Lake Street area of Lurgan erupted as the PSNI and army bomb-disposal experts searched for a suspect explosive device left on the railway tracks.
The PSNI later claimed that children as young as eight had been manipulated into attacking their officers during the disorder. No one was injured in the shooting, although several PSNI patrol vehicles were scorchedby petrol bombs. Twenty-five paint bombs, bricks and masonry were also thrown during several hours of violence. The PSNI later claimed that children as young as eight had been manipulated into attacking their officers during the disorder. No one was injured in the shooting, although several PSNI patrol vehicles were scorched by petrol bombs. Twenty-five paint bombs, bricks and masonry were also thrown during several hours of violence.
The trouble has severely disrupted services between Dublin and Belfast with rail passengers having to be taken by bus up to the border town of Newry.Condemning the dissident group behind the violence, PSNI Supt David Moore said: “The people that are behind this have no ideology, they have nothing to offer, in many respects they can be compared to Daesh [Islamic State]. They have got little to offer but destruction in their own communities.” The trouble has severely disrupted services between Dublin and Belfast with rail passengers having to be taken by bus up to the border town of Newry.
Condemning the dissident group behind the violence, PSNI Supt David Moore said: “The people that are behind this have no ideology, they have nothing to offer, in many respects they can be compared to Daesh [Islamic State]. They have got little to offer but destruction in their own communities.”
Related: Northern Ireland police warn of dissident violence to mark Easter RisingRelated: Northern Ireland police warn of dissident violence to mark Easter Rising
Dolores Kelly, a local nationalist politician who also condemned those behind the attacks, welcomed the deployment of Dissident Dan in the PR battle against the hardline republican factions.Dolores Kelly, a local nationalist politician who also condemned those behind the attacks, welcomed the deployment of Dissident Dan in the PR battle against the hardline republican factions.
Kelly, a member of the legislative assembly for the Social Democratic and Labour party, said: “It’s very tongue-in-cheek, but I welcome the way the PSNI are using social media innovatively to reach out to young people.”Kelly, a member of the legislative assembly for the Social Democratic and Labour party, said: “It’s very tongue-in-cheek, but I welcome the way the PSNI are using social media innovatively to reach out to young people.”
Within hours of it being posted , the Dissident Dan character had more than 2,000 likes and 800 shares on PSNI Craigavon’s Facebook page Within hours of it being posted the Dissident Dan character had more than 2,000 likes and 800 shares on PSNI Craigavon’s Facebook page.