The Police Service in Northern Ireland plans to devise a tougher strategy in response to racial posters and vandalism, according to Chief Constable Jon Boutcher of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Boutcher emphasised the importance of communicating a clear message regarding such racially fuelled actions.
Northern Ireland, specifically Belfast, experienced considerable unrest due to an anti-immigration protest on August 3rd, which induced riots and attacks on businesses run by individuals from ethnic minority groups. Although the turmoil has decreased in frequency, several incidents including assaults, graffiti, and attacks on homes, as well as businesses, have been reported since.
Earlier in the week, police took down an anti-immigration billboard from a roadside in the village of Moygashel, Co Tyrone. Additionally, police are looking into claims of continuous racial harassment aimed at children in South Belfast. They suspect a group of young individuals for verbally abusing and behaving antisocially towards a woman and her two children in the Teutonic Gardens area over the past two months.
In a recent development, preliminary police data from this week suggests a 33% increase in incidents of race hatred over the past year. Addressing the Northern Ireland Policing Board on Thursday, Mr Boutcher revealed that PSNI was formulating a more powerful strategy to promptly remove racist posters and graffiti.
He referred to the recent uproar as a defining point and reassured attendees that the existing laws were adequate to deal with such matters. Promising a more proactive approach, Boutcher assured that, despite respecting freedom of speech issues, actions crossing legal thresholds would be dealt with swiftly and severely, thereby sending a definitive message on such issues.
As of now, around 48 individuals have been apprehended in connection with the recent riots, including three from Derry who were arrested on Thursday. From these arrests, 35 persons have had charges lodged against them in court.
Speaking to the board, Mr Boutcher voiced his disapproval of the inflicted violence and menace on Northern Ireland’s diverse communities, labelling this behaviour as disgraceful and something that everyone should vocalise against. He emphasised that this is a criminal act and such violent acts will not be overlooked.
Sharing his personal experiences, Mr Boutcher vividly recalled the fright and hopelessness that these criminals subjected to our Muslim and other diverse members of the community during those chaotic nights. Standing firm, he reiterated that this behaviour is unacceptable and it will be dealt with sternly within the legal boundaries.
On Thursday, he also revealed his intentions to surge his force’s strength to 7,000 personnel. The police force, known as PSNI currently falls short of the 7,500 officers that the Patten Review recommended, boasting around 6,300 officers presently.
Mr Boutcher also expressed his concerns regarding deployable officers, with approximate figures standing at 4,500 when factoring in absences due to illness and duty restrictions. He also noted the urgent need to work on a recovery plan that addresses the issue of police numbers, adding that the police force can no longer afford to decrease its ranks.
Recently, an additional 80 officers from Police Scotland complemented the PSNI ranks, following a mutual aid petition over the disturbances in August. (PA)