East Belfast: Footage of vigilantes patrolling streets 'chilling'
Police have said they are investigating an alleged assault on a man on Oxford Street in Belfast in July, adding that they do "not tolerate any type of vigilante activity and we would caution any individual or group against taking the law into their own hands". The victim was taken to hospital to be treated for head injuries. Police are also investigating another incident of "vigilante activity" following a protest outside a property in the Ravenhill Road area of east Belfast on Sunday. It was reported that "a large crowd had gathered outside the house and had become hostile towards the residents" at around 11:00 BST. Green Party councillor Brian Smyth told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Tuesday that the group's actions are "nothing more than racial intimidation".He said there is a problem with "misdirected anger", and that many of of the people coming here are "working in the NHS and making this place their home".Speaking on Tuesday, UUP MLA Jon Burrows said in his prior experience as a senior PSNI officer "vigilantes are always motivated by wanting to exercise power and control"."That's why very many of them will have convictions in the past for domestic violence, animal abuse and those kinds of convictions."He described these groups as a "menace to society" who are "not appointed, not elected, have no legal powers and are not subject to any accountability".
'Living in fear'
The interim Victims of Crime Commissioner Geraldine Hanna told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Tuesday she found the footage "horrifying". "Can you imagine walking through a public park, minding your own business and being approached by a gang of men, demanding to see your passport or your birth certificate?"She said the actions of these groups are "creating victims and breeding fear"."Across our communities, we have people from ethnic minority groups who are fulfilling really important roles in our society, but they're living in fear," she added.
Additional officers deployed
De Faoite said "I don't think a huge amount of people fully understand just how stretched the police service is".However, he added that "these gangs are making our streets an unsafe and unwelcome place" and "they must be dealt with".Speaking about "vigilante patrolling" in east Belfast, District Commander Superintendent Gavin Kirkpatrick said police are aware of a number of videos on social media showing "groups of men 'patrolling' east Belfast streets and confronting members of the public"."I am very concerned about the actions of these groups," he said."Such activity is not protecting this community, it is attempting to control it. It is racism pure and simple."Supt Kirkpatrick encouraged anyone who has been confronted by these groups to come forward and report it to police. He added that additional officers will be deployed in east Belfast in the coming days.
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