Question
Has any update has been provided to the Board in relation to the large public gatherings, following a football match, on the Shankill Road, Belfast, last weekend (7 March 2021). Can you confirm if there has been any briefing provided and if not, perhaps request that we are informed on the following questions –
1) The decision, if one was taken, not to provide a police presence or response to hundreds of people gathering on the streets
2) If the public gatherings had been reported to police
Answer
On the evening in question we did receive a number of reports of a street party and flares being set off on the Shankill Road. Police resources were deployed to the area to monitor interface areas in particular.
The numbers involved in the scenes were, in our view, a breach of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations.
I can confirm that an investigation is ongoing. A number of lines of enquiry are being undertaken to identify individuals from footage that we have obtained. As of 25 March 2021 one person has been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
John Blair - Alliance