South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Plastic Bullet use in East Belfast raised

Published: 15 September, 2009

East Belfast Sinn Féin representative Niall Ó Donnghaile has asked the PSNI to address the issue of the use of plastic bullets during recent interface trouble in East Belfast in a question submitted to the East Belfast District Policing Partnership.


Niall Ó Donnghaile said,

"A number of plastic bullets were fired in relation to interface trouble in East Belfast on the night of the 31st August. I do not believe that the use of plastic bullets by the PSNI can be justified.


"I have asked that the PSNI address the issue at the next public East Belfast DPP meeting. In particular, I have asked that the PSNI to detail the process, procedure and risk assessment, including the identification of alternative methods, carried out by the PSNI prior to issuing the authorisation for the use of Plastic Baton rounds (AEPs) during the trouble which occurred Monday 31st August.


"Their deployment flies in the face of public comments by the Former Chief Constable Hugh Orde that plastic bullets 'will not be used for the purposes of public order/crowd control', and would only be used 'where the only alternative would be the use of live rounds'."

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