Troubles victim arrested as police break up anniversary event - Lawyer

Police arrested a victim of a Troubles shooting on suspicion of disorderly behaviour after officers moved to break up an anniversary event, his lawyer said.

The man was detained in the Ormeau Road area of Belfast after officers intervened at the memorial marking the 29th anniversary of a loyalist massacre at the Sean Graham's bookmakers shop.

The Police Ombudsman is now probing the incident.

Public gatherings of more than six people are currently prevented under Covid-19 lockdown regulations in Northern Ireland.

Five people, including a 15-year-old boy, were murdered and several others injured in February 1992 when Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) opened fire at the bookies.

Footage of angry exchanges involving officers and those attending Friday's event have been posted online.

The man was later released from Musgrave PSNI station in Belfast.

Outside his lawyer Niall Murphy said: “Every year the victims and survivors gather in dignity to remember their loved ones and to say a short prayer.

“This year because of Covid restrictions it was restricted to the five families who maintained a dignified silence and left flowers down.

“The police attended, for what reason I will never know, approached victims and survivors of an atrocity and commenced to harass, push and assault man, woman and child.'”

Mr Murphy said his client was arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour.

“The only disorderly behaviour that happened on the Ormeau Road today was by the police who had no right to be there and who have wreaked havoc on community relations both in the Ormeau Road and in the wider community,'' he said.

Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill tweeted: “Deeply concerned at the footage showing PSNI officers arrive at the scene of the Sean Graham bookies massacre.

“Unjustified heavy handed tactics have been used towards relatives laying flowers including the arrest of one of the survivors.

“Requested urgent call with Chief Constable (Simon Byrne).''

Sinn Fein Policing Board member Gerry Kelly said he was “shocked and appalled” at the man's arrest.

He accused police of “heavy handed'' tactics.

“The man and other relatives of the five victims of the massacre, which included a 15-year-old boy, were laying wreaths at the scene of the murders to mark the 29th anniversary of the slaying of their loved ones,'' he said.

Mr Kelly said family members had gathered to call for the publication of a delayed police ombudsman's report into the murders, amid allegations of state collusion.

“As the relatives were dispersing police moved in and arrested a victim of the Bookies' Massacre,'' he said.

Mr Kelly added: “This man should be released immediately and the police should apologise for adding insult to injury to the families of those who lost their lives in the massacre and who have waited almost 30 years for truth and justice.''

He also said it was ion stark contrast to supposed police inaction when a gang of masked loyalists paraded through East Belfast this week.

PSNI chief constable Mr Byrne later tweeted to confirm he had spoken to Ms O'Neill about the incident.

“I have just spoken to deputy First Minister @moneillsf about the events on the Ormeau road this afternoon. We are currently working to establish all the facts. I will provide a further update in due course.”

In a statement, the Police Ombudsman's Office said it had initiated an investigation into the incident in Belfast's Ormeau Road area on Friday afternoon.

A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman's Office said: "We are aware of the incident and have received a complaint about what happened.

"Our investigation will focus on establishing all of the facts surrounding the incident and investigators will be examining all available evidence in order to consider the appropriateness of the actions taken by police, including the arrest.

"Anyone who was there and saw what happened or recorded video footage of the incident is asked to call our witness appeal line on 0800 032 7880.''