Loyalist Decommissioning Vital, says McFarland after Kilcooley Violence
Following the rioting and attacks on the PSNI in Bangor’s Kilcooley estate on Wednesday evening, senior Ulster Unionist Alan McFarland MLA has strongly condemned the violence and urged the local community to support the PSNI as it restores peace and order to the area.
Mr. McFarland said, “Last night’s events - rioting, attacks on the PSNI, mob violence - are a throwback to the worst of Northern Ireland’s past, at a time when the overwhelming majority of people in our society are looking to the future. The people of Kilcooley, Bangor and North Down deserve better than this. The men and women who serve our community in the PSNI deserve better than this.
“The area has seen significant advances in recent years, not least through the Impact restorative justice scheme. It is vital that yesterday’s disgraceful scenes do not overshadow the good work, leadership and progress displayed in Kilcooley.
“Together with the recent violence in Carrickfergus, these incidents show the urgent need for loyalism to make the transition to exclusively peaceful and democratic politics, decommission all of its weapons, and cease all criminal activity. Continued criminality and violence undermines any case loyalism has for legitimate involvement in political and community life.”