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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Police defend response to rioting | Police defend response to rioting |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police have denied claims they were heavy-handed during a riot in which 70 people attacked officers close to Londonderry's City Cemetery. | Police have denied claims they were heavy-handed during a riot in which 70 people attacked officers close to Londonderry's City Cemetery. |
| It happened as officers tried to speak to organisers of what is believed to have been an illegal dissident republican parade in the area. | It happened as officers tried to speak to organisers of what is believed to have been an illegal dissident republican parade in the area. |
| An eyewitness said police photographed and questioned children. | An eyewitness said police photographed and questioned children. |
| PSNI Inspector Trevor McKeown said it was a known procedure for evidence to be gathered by way of photographs. | PSNI Inspector Trevor McKeown said it was a known procedure for evidence to be gathered by way of photographs. |
| However, he said he was not aware that young children were involved in the investigation. | However, he said he was not aware that young children were involved in the investigation. |
| "Certainly we were not being heavy-handed. We were noting names and we were gathering evidence of what exactly was going on," he said. | |
| "I think that rather than being heavy-handed, we did quite a good job in being able to get 41 petrol bombs off the ground... petrol bombs are lethal weapons - they can kill somebody and burn property. | |
| "People can fire them at us, and not necessarily hit us, but hit a house or hit a child instead." | |
| A police vehicle came under sustained attack from people throwing petrol bombs, bottles and containers of paint. | A police vehicle came under sustained attack from people throwing petrol bombs, bottles and containers of paint. |
| Police recovered 40 petrol bombs following the trouble which started at about 1500 GMT on Monday. | Police recovered 40 petrol bombs following the trouble which started at about 1500 GMT on Monday. |
| There were no reports of any injuries. Two teenagers who were arrested have been released pending reports to the Public Prosecution Service. | There were no reports of any injuries. Two teenagers who were arrested have been released pending reports to the Public Prosecution Service. |