Officer suspended after Troubles memorial arrest

An officer has been suspended following the controversial arrest of a Troubles survivor at a memorial event, PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said.

Mr Byrne said another officer had been repositioned, as he apologised to all those who were present or had been affected by what they had seen on social media.

Mark Sykes, who was shot several times in the loyalist massacre at a betting shop in Belfast in 1992, was later released after Friday's incident on the city's Ormeau Road.

Angry exchanges unfolded at the wreath-laying anniversary event for the five people killed in the Sean Graham bookmakers attack, when police intervened amid suspicions the gathering breached lockdown rules.

At a press conference on Saturday, Mr Byrne said: "Following the events in the Ormeau Road yesterday and the commencement of the ombudsman investigation, we've been able to establish today a number of things.

"Firstly, that the police did not attempt to stop the commemoration event at the Ormeau Road.

"That said, we have carefully had the opportunity today to review the totality of the incident, that led to the events we've seen on social media.

"Having looked at the totality of what we have seen on the police body-worn video, which records things that have not yet been seen in the public domain, we recognise that the events that have taken place do not reflect the values of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

"Consequently, we have taken the decision this evening to suspend one of the officers involved and to reposition a second officer whilst the ombudsman completes her investigations and is able to make her own determinations."

The chief constable revealed that the two officers involved were relatively inexperienced, having only joined the PSNI in July last year.

"But at the end of the day, all our officers have to uphold the same standards and act in a way that's tolerant and considerate of the needs of people in front of them and the situation they find themselves in," he said.

The chief constable said his future in the job was the "question on everybody's lips", but he insisted he was going nowhere.

"I'm not a quitter, I took this job with my eyes open, determined to invest my time, my capital, working with a top team to deliver on my promise, which was visible, accessible and responsive community policing.

"I don't pretend this isn't a difficult week. But actually, if I quit now, it would just leave the same set of problems for whoever stood in my shoes.

"This is about leadership, it's about calm heads and direction while I work with a top team to move people out of the place we find ourselves in and deliver on the promises that I've made."

Mr Sykes has condemned his arrest.

"The only thing I had in my hands was flowers, that my three-year-old granddaughter had lain at her uncle's memorial," he said in a statement released by campaign group Relatives for Justice.

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.

Police said officers took action after witnessing a crowd of "between 30 to 40" attending an event.

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

Northern Ireland's police ombudsman has launched an investigation into how the police operation was handled.