01/10/2007

PSNI Reject 'Heavy Handed' Approach

Police have rejected claims by Sinn Fein that officers were heavy handed in their response to rioting in Derry.

Five officers and a civilian were reported injured when paving slabs, stones and bottles were used to attack police during an incident on Shipquay Street in the city on Sunday.

During the rioting thousands of pounds worth of BBC equipment was damaged in a marquee.

Sinn Fein have called on the Police Ombudsman to investigate the police response to the incident.

Sinn Fein MLA Martina Anderson claimed that parents had told her that children had been assaulted by police.

However, PSNI Chief Inspector Chris Yates said that an operation by police to prevent assaults was run every weekend and had resulted in a drop in reported assaults of over 50 per cent.

(SP)

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