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| Union flag dispute: Cost of policing protests exceeds £15m | Union flag dispute: Cost of policing protests exceeds £15m |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The cost of policing the union flag protests in Northern Ireland over the past nine weeks has exceeded £15m, the PSNI chief constable has confirmed. | The cost of policing the union flag protests in Northern Ireland over the past nine weeks has exceeded £15m, the PSNI chief constable has confirmed. |
| Matt Baggott revealed the latest figure at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) on Thursday. | Matt Baggott revealed the latest figure at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) on Thursday. |
| He said the cost included duty pay and overtime pay to officers and staff. | He said the cost included duty pay and overtime pay to officers and staff. |
| The protests began on 3 December, when Belfast City Council voted to restrict the number of days the flag is flown at the city hall. | The protests began on 3 December, when Belfast City Council voted to restrict the number of days the flag is flown at the city hall. |
| The majority have passed without incident but some have ended in riots. | The majority have passed without incident but some have ended in riots. |
| Addressing a public meeting of the NIPB, Mr Baggott said: "The cost of policing the recent protests and disorder has come at a high cost to policing both in terms of human cost and financial costs." | Addressing a public meeting of the NIPB, Mr Baggott said: "The cost of policing the recent protests and disorder has come at a high cost to policing both in terms of human cost and financial costs." |
| The chief constable told the board 146 police officers had been injured in the violence to date, although "fortunately none seriously," he added. | The chief constable told the board 146 police officers had been injured in the violence to date, although "fortunately none seriously," he added. |
| "Serious violence has, in the main, been contained in a few locations thanks to the courage and professionalism of my colleagues," Mr Baggott said. | "Serious violence has, in the main, been contained in a few locations thanks to the courage and professionalism of my colleagues," Mr Baggott said. |
| In addition to the cost of policing the protests over the past two months, business leaders have also complained that they lost millions in trade because the demonstrations deterred people from coming into the city. | |
| Last month, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimated that the flag protests had cost Belfast businesses up to £15m in lost revenue. | |
| In response, the Backin' Belfast campaign was launched to encourage more people to shop and socialise in central Belfast. |