16.9.04
Sinn Féin
Plastic Bullets have no place in policing
Published: 16 September, 2004
Sinn Féin MLA for North Belfast and party spokesperson on Policing and Justice, Gerry Kelly has said that Plastic Bullets have no place in modern policing. This comes on the day that Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre are holding a protest to highlight the purchase of 120, 000 these lethal weapons by the Policing Board.
Speaking today Mr Kelly said:
"The Policing Board have bankrolled the purchase of Plastic Bullets for the past three years. What we have seen is that the policing board have continued to sanction the use of these lethal weapons with the purchase of 50,000 plastic bullets in 2002, another 50,000 in 2003 and 20,000 in 2004 so far. The SDLP, because of their position on the Board, need to provide clarity on their position in regards to these purchases.
"The issue here is very clear. These deadly weapons, that have been responsible for over 17 deaths and countless other injuries, need to be withdrawn immediately. Plastic Bullets have no place in modern policing and are certainly not part of the Patten recommendations. The purchase of 120,000 plastic bullets since 2002 only serves to highlight how far we have to go to fully implement Patten.
"We will be demanding that it is addressed in the talks this week at the Leeds Castle talks with the British Prime Minister."
Plastic Bullets have no place in policing
Published: 16 September, 2004
Sinn Féin MLA for North Belfast and party spokesperson on Policing and Justice, Gerry Kelly has said that Plastic Bullets have no place in modern policing. This comes on the day that Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre are holding a protest to highlight the purchase of 120, 000 these lethal weapons by the Policing Board.
Speaking today Mr Kelly said:
"The Policing Board have bankrolled the purchase of Plastic Bullets for the past three years. What we have seen is that the policing board have continued to sanction the use of these lethal weapons with the purchase of 50,000 plastic bullets in 2002, another 50,000 in 2003 and 20,000 in 2004 so far. The SDLP, because of their position on the Board, need to provide clarity on their position in regards to these purchases.
"The issue here is very clear. These deadly weapons, that have been responsible for over 17 deaths and countless other injuries, need to be withdrawn immediately. Plastic Bullets have no place in modern policing and are certainly not part of the Patten recommendations. The purchase of 120,000 plastic bullets since 2002 only serves to highlight how far we have to go to fully implement Patten.
"We will be demanding that it is addressed in the talks this week at the Leeds Castle talks with the British Prime Minister."
