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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Northern Ireland police chief: we are not biased against unionists | Northern Ireland police chief: we are not biased against unionists |
| (12 days later) | |
| Northern Ireland's chief constable has rejected the first minister's claim that unionists regard the police as biased against them and soft on mainstream republicans. | Northern Ireland's chief constable has rejected the first minister's claim that unionists regard the police as biased against them and soft on mainstream republicans. |
| Matt Baggott, head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, stressed: "All of our actions have been taken impartially and within the rule of law." | Matt Baggott, head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, stressed: "All of our actions have been taken impartially and within the rule of law." |
| He was responding to concerns raised on Monday night in a meeting with Peter Robinson that unionists felt they were not being treated fairly compared to republicans. | He was responding to concerns raised on Monday night in a meeting with Peter Robinson that unionists felt they were not being treated fairly compared to republicans. |
| At the weekend prominent loyalist flag protesters Willie Frazer and Jamie Bryson were remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with offences connected to the union flag dispute at Belfast city hall. | At the weekend prominent loyalist flag protesters Willie Frazer and Jamie Bryson were remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with offences connected to the union flag dispute at Belfast city hall. |
| On Friday, however, the senior south Armagh republican Sean Gerard Hughes was granted bail after facing charges relating to the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney after a row with IRA members in a city pub eight years ago. There was further controversy on Tuesday over Hughes, 51, being given bail when it emerged he attended an event shortly after he was freed commemorating two south Armagh IRA men. | On Friday, however, the senior south Armagh republican Sean Gerard Hughes was granted bail after facing charges relating to the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney after a row with IRA members in a city pub eight years ago. There was further controversy on Tuesday over Hughes, 51, being given bail when it emerged he attended an event shortly after he was freed commemorating two south Armagh IRA men. |
| The Ulster Unionist assembly member and power-sharing minister Danny Kennedy said Hughes' attendance at an event just hours after his court appearance was a disgrace. | The Ulster Unionist assembly member and power-sharing minister Danny Kennedy said Hughes' attendance at an event just hours after his court appearance was a disgrace. |
| "Not only is it a grave insult to the family and friends of Robert McCartney, it severely undermines confidence in the judicial process. | "Not only is it a grave insult to the family and friends of Robert McCartney, it severely undermines confidence in the judicial process. |
| "Publicity surrounding the event brazenly boasted of both men's involvement on attacks on British soldiers and advertised Sean Hughes as a speaker," Kennedy said. | "Publicity surrounding the event brazenly boasted of both men's involvement on attacks on British soldiers and advertised Sean Hughes as a speaker," Kennedy said. |
| In the light of Hughes getting bail and Frazer and Bryson being being remanded in custody, Robinson said unionists believed they were not being treated equally. | In the light of Hughes getting bail and Frazer and Bryson being being remanded in custody, Robinson said unionists believed they were not being treated equally. |
| "There certainly is a perception out there within the unionist community that when you see several leading republicans getting bail and several leading members of the loyalist community not getting bail that there is a lack of balance in the way these matters are dealt with," he said. | "There certainly is a perception out there within the unionist community that when you see several leading republicans getting bail and several leading members of the loyalist community not getting bail that there is a lack of balance in the way these matters are dealt with," he said. |
| "There is a large section of our community who don't believe the police have been impartial in dealing with these issues and therefore, in my view [it is] an imperative issue for the police to show why they take decisions, with regard to a set of circumstances, differently than another. That is a matter for the police to show and convince the public." | "There is a large section of our community who don't believe the police have been impartial in dealing with these issues and therefore, in my view [it is] an imperative issue for the police to show why they take decisions, with regard to a set of circumstances, differently than another. That is a matter for the police to show and convince the public." |
| But the chief constable emphasised on Tuesday that bail decisions are down to the judiciary while decisions to prosecute are taken by the Public Prosecution Service. | But the chief constable emphasised on Tuesday that bail decisions are down to the judiciary while decisions to prosecute are taken by the Public Prosecution Service. |
| "Over the past months the PSNI has successfully dealt with an incredibly volatile situation with great patience and professionalism," he said. "A situation made all the more difficult by the absence of political consensus. All of our actions have been taken impartially and within the rule of law. No one has been seriously injured. | "Over the past months the PSNI has successfully dealt with an incredibly volatile situation with great patience and professionalism," he said. "A situation made all the more difficult by the absence of political consensus. All of our actions have been taken impartially and within the rule of law. No one has been seriously injured. |
| "For weeks I have been warning about the consequences of law breaking and the fact that evidence was being gathered. There should be no surprises with the outcomes." | "For weeks I have been warning about the consequences of law breaking and the fact that evidence was being gathered. There should be no surprises with the outcomes." |
| The dispute over restrictions on the days the union flag flies on top of city hall is entering its 13th week and has resulted in more than 100 arrests, dozens of police officers being injured and city traders losing millions in revenue. | The dispute over restrictions on the days the union flag flies on top of city hall is entering its 13th week and has resulted in more than 100 arrests, dozens of police officers being injured and city traders losing millions in revenue. |
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