Talks on policing events in North see commitment to non-violence

Talks on the policing of Belfast public order events with a history of large-scale unrest have produced a commitment to non-violence.

Two days of wide-ranging discussions were held in Cardiff involving senior PSNI officers, politicians and representatives from loyalist and republican communities.

The talks were aimed at improving community and police relations rather than resolving parading or flags issues which have led to major disorder in the past.

An agreed statement said: “The conversations we had were candid, honest, and worthwhile. The event was positive and we intend to continue the discussions we began here.

“We commit to resolve our differences through dialogue and non-violent means, underpinned by the principles of equality, inclusiveness, respect for difference, and non-discrimination.”

Weeks of sporadic loyalist rioting in East Belfast followed December’s decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag from Belfast City Hall to designated days, injuring more than 100 officers and costing millions in extra security and losses to the local economy.

Last summer, republican demonstrators against loyalist order marches through Ardoyne in North Belfast launched attacks against police brought in to separate the two sides.

The talks involved the policing of public order events and issues surrounding community and police relations. Resolving issues around parades, flags, and interfaces was not on the agenda.

Senior police have said there was a perception in the republican community that the force had not done enough to stop the flag protests and parades. Some loyalists felt they had been heavy-handed.

There have also been complaints about how police conducted house searches and responded to public order incidents.

The group agreed to meet again in the coming weeks to discuss how best to continue the dialogue.