Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Maurice Fitzmaurice

Belfast Holyland trouble leads to arrests, police say

A Council worker has allegedly been assaulted during disorder in the Holyland area.

Police say they have made a number of arrests linked to trouble in the South Belfast district.

The PSNI said in a statement that officers have arrested two males “during patrols” in the area on Monday, September 14.

A spokesman added: “A 22-year-old man was arrested following the assault of a council employee and two police officers and was later charged.

“A 20-year-old male was also arrested for disorderly behaviour and is currently assisting police with their enquiries.”

It is understood a man was also handed a £1,000 fine for breach of the travel quarantine regulations.

Police added that during patrols on Monday evening the PSNI “responded to 13 calls for service, issued one community resolution notice and one fixed penalty notice”. A prohibition notice was also served on the residents of a property, they added.

Chief Inspector Gavin Kirkpatrick said: “We have been vocal in our warnings to young people who have moved to the Holyland area and those who are visiting the area. Everyone has a responsibility to adhere to the Health Protection Regulations to protect themselves and others from Covid-19.

“We are conducting patrols, with our partners, and where we see breaches of the Regulations or antisocial or criminal behaviour we will take action.

“A large number of people are acting responsibly but there are a few who continue to behave recklessly and are causing disruption for the local community.

“We would again remind students living off campus of the importance of building good relationships with local residents and being respectful of the needs of the whole community.

“We will continue to dedicate substantial resources to policing this area throughout the coming weeks and will robustly address all incidents of antisocial of criminal activity.”

Green Party NI Councillor Aíne Groogan condemned the disorder.

She added: “People living in the Holyland have been tortured for years by a small section of students and young people. The human rights of residents have been infringed upon with noise, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping destroying quality of life.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.