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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| No support for illegal roadblock | No support for illegal roadblock |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy has said there is "no support" in the area for dissident republicans. | Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy has said there is "no support" in the area for dissident republicans. |
| On Friday an illegal road block was set up by armed and masked men in Meigh, near Newry. | On Friday an illegal road block was set up by armed and masked men in Meigh, near Newry. |
| The road block was seen by a police patrol who then moved back to allow the situation to be fully evaluated. | The road block was seen by a police patrol who then moved back to allow the situation to be fully evaluated. |
| Up to eight men armed with a machine gun and a grenade launcher distributed leaflets warning locals not to cooperate with the police or Sinn Fein. | Up to eight men armed with a machine gun and a grenade launcher distributed leaflets warning locals not to cooperate with the police or Sinn Fein. |
| Mr Murphy said residents could have been injured if the police had confronted the roadblock. | Mr Murphy said residents could have been injured if the police had confronted the roadblock. |
| "I'm sure people wouldn't have wanted to see a shoot-out here," he said. | "I'm sure people wouldn't have wanted to see a shoot-out here," he said. |
| Conor Murphy MP said there is "no support" in the area for dissident republicans | Conor Murphy MP said there is "no support" in the area for dissident republicans |
| "The people of this area don't want those people on the street. they want to move on, they want peaceful, political change in Ireland and that's what they have thrown their weight behind. | "The people of this area don't want those people on the street. they want to move on, they want peaceful, political change in Ireland and that's what they have thrown their weight behind. |
| "To try to challenge the views of the people of this village show how out of touch the people who mounted that stop are." | "To try to challenge the views of the people of this village show how out of touch the people who mounted that stop are." |
| Danny Kennedy of the UUP said the incident showed how under resourced policing was in this area. | Danny Kennedy of the UUP said the incident showed how under resourced policing was in this area. |
| "There are police stations closing in this area, there are cuts to policing budgets, there are cuts to personnel and numbers," said Mr Kennedy. | "There are police stations closing in this area, there are cuts to policing budgets, there are cuts to personnel and numbers," said Mr Kennedy. |
| "And all of this against a backdrop of armed military demonstrations taking place in the centre of a local village. And clearly the Policing Board and the chief constable will have to address those issues." | "And all of this against a backdrop of armed military demonstrations taking place in the centre of a local village. And clearly the Policing Board and the chief constable will have to address those issues." |
| Police have asked for anyone with information about the incident to get in touch. | Police have asked for anyone with information about the incident to get in touch. |