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| Ruth Patterson arrested over Facebook comments | Ruth Patterson arrested over Facebook comments |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police have arrested DUP councillor Ruth Patterson over comments she made about a republican parade in Tyrone. | Police have arrested DUP councillor Ruth Patterson over comments she made about a republican parade in Tyrone. |
| In a conversation on Facebook, she had responded to someone else's post about an imaginary attack on the parade in Castlederg in which several people including Sinn Féin figures are killed. | In a conversation on Facebook, she had responded to someone else's post about an imaginary attack on the parade in Castlederg in which several people including Sinn Féin figures are killed. |
| She had said: "We would have done a great service to Northern Ireland and the world." She later apologised | She had said: "We would have done a great service to Northern Ireland and the world." She later apologised |
| The DUP has described her arrest as "sensationalist". | The DUP has described her arrest as "sensationalist". |
| In a statement, the party said: "Councillor Ruth Patterson has apologised for her remarks, accepted they were well below the standard expected of a public representative and not in keeping with the DUP's values and ethos. | In a statement, the party said: "Councillor Ruth Patterson has apologised for her remarks, accepted they were well below the standard expected of a public representative and not in keeping with the DUP's values and ethos. |
| "The party officers also emphasised the unacceptable nature of these stupid and obnoxious comments and will conclude its own internal investigations. | "The party officers also emphasised the unacceptable nature of these stupid and obnoxious comments and will conclude its own internal investigations. |
| "We fail to understand why the police chose to conduct a sensationalist arrest rather than contact Ruth and ask her to attend an Article 10 voluntary interview. This is a matter we will be raising with the chief constable." | "We fail to understand why the police chose to conduct a sensationalist arrest rather than contact Ruth and ask her to attend an Article 10 voluntary interview. This is a matter we will be raising with the chief constable." |
| In response, police said that when a report is made to them "regarding information posted on social media sites, officers will investigate and where a criminal offence has occurred, appropriate action will be taken". | |
| Earlier on Friday, the police said the public order inquiry team had "arrested a 57-year-old female in relation to offences concerning the sending of grossly offensive communications and other serious criminal offences in relation to intimidation and encouraging criminal acts". | |
| In her apology, Mrs Patterson said her comments were "completely incompatible with the polices of the Democratic Unionist Party and what is expected of me as an elected representative". | In her apology, Mrs Patterson said her comments were "completely incompatible with the polices of the Democratic Unionist Party and what is expected of me as an elected representative". |
| Mrs Patterson is a former deputy lord mayor of Belfast. | Mrs Patterson is a former deputy lord mayor of Belfast. |
| The Castlederg parade, planned for 11 August, commemorates Tyrone's republican dead, including two IRA members killed by their own bomb in 1973. The march is backed by Sinn Féin. | The Castlederg parade, planned for 11 August, commemorates Tyrone's republican dead, including two IRA members killed by their own bomb in 1973. The march is backed by Sinn Féin. |
| However, unionists have described the parade as "grossly insensitive" and say it should not be allowed to go ahead. | However, unionists have described the parade as "grossly insensitive" and say it should not be allowed to go ahead. |
| On Thursday evening, the Parades Commission ruled the Castlederg parade could take place, but it placed restrictions on the march, re-routing it away from a war memorial in the Diamond area of the town. | On Thursday evening, the Parades Commission ruled the Castlederg parade could take place, but it placed restrictions on the march, re-routing it away from a war memorial in the Diamond area of the town. |