News NI
One of the eldest residents of an old people’s home in Londonderry has described the petrol bomb attacks on police just outside the home on Monday as “very distressing”.
Eamon Melaugh, 92, said the rioting “achieves nothing”.
One of the petrol bombs exploded just outside the sheltered accommodation at the junction of Bishop Street and Nailors Row, near the city walls.
Police in riot gear were using the area as a vantage point to monitor a dissident republican parade – led by around 50 people in paramilitary-style uniforms – from Creggan to the Bogside.
Mr Melaugh, a veteran civil rights activist in Derry, told News NI: “I would condemn all violence. I have done all my life. It achieves nothing.”
He appealed to the young people to stop and reflect on the impact their actions were having on the community.
DUP MP Gregory Campbell said the elderly residents of Alexander House feel they are “under siege” every time there is trouble nearby.
“They feel terrorised because there are people outside throwing petrol bombs at police vehicles and police officers and causing some sort of mayhem when we are supposed to be celebrating a Christian commemoration of Easter,” he said.
“Yet, older people are taking advantage of young children and putting them on the front line.
Campbell also criticised the Parades Commission for allowing the dissident republican parade, which has been marred by violence in the past.
‘What were they thinking of?’
“What were they thinking of, giving permission for a parade that has a history of violence?”
He mentioned that six years ago Lyra McKee was murdered at Easter time during a “dissident event”.
“Each year, almost, it seems as if either during the parade or after it, there are petrol bombs thrown at either property or police or civilians.
“Yet, they give permission for this parade and they stipulate there should be no paramilitary clothing when they knew there would be paramilitary clothing and we saw it.
“That’s a very serious question for the Parades Commission,” he added.
The appearance of people in paramilitary-style uniform was in contravention of a ruling by the commission.
In a statement, the Parades Commission said it did not have the legal power to ban parades and considered all of the information available to it, including that supplied by the police.
The commission said it imposed a number of conditions on the parade.
It also noted that there had historically been “serious criminal offending associated with the parade” and urged the organisers and participants to make every effort to seek to prevent a recurrence.
Campbell also questioned the police and what advice it gave to the Parades Commission.
“Surely, lessons have to be learnt. If they weren’t learnt before yesterday, they have to be learnt now.”
The PSNI said the Parades Commission is “independent in their decision making and the Police Service of Northern Ireland is bound to uphold their determinations”.
Campbell said the police tactics of staying back and monitoring the parade needed to be followed up by further arrests.
Two men, aged 30 and 55, were arrested under the Terrorism Act and remain in policy custody.
