Crown force assualt

A man was hospitalised late on Saturday night last after he was beaten around the head with rifle butts by members of a British Army/PSNI patrol.

The victim was knocked unconscious and required stitches.

Sinn Féin Councillor Jimmy Mc Creesh who visited the injured man said that it was an unprovoked and vicious attack on this man and his friend as they made their way home near Belleek village.

“In recent weeks local people have been stopped at checkpoints by British military and PSNI personnel and told, ‘South Armagh will be sorted out once and for all’,” said Mr McCreesh.

“The reports of increased activity by the British military and PSNI, ongoing harassment, and this brutal assault clearly demonstrate that these threats should not be taken lightly”.

GAA FANS ATTACKED

Tyrone supporters returning home after a Gaelic football match in Dublin have been attacked by brick throwers.

The attack on a bus full of fans, including women and young people, happened south of Armagh City on Saturday.

They were passing a loyalist estate on the Markethill Road when they came under attack. The group were returning to the Dungannon area after watching Mayo beat Tyrone at Croke Park.

The brick smashed through a window on the bus and a young girl was hurt as the missile struck her on the chest.

Another female’s face was cut and bruised. Both victims were treated for shock.

Sinn Féin Assemblyman Conor Murphy said he was extremely disappointed to hear of the violent attack.

“It is only through good fortune that serious injury and loss of life was not caused by this vicious and violent attack”.

ANNIVERSARY CLASHES

Meanwhile, clashes between nationalist youths and PSNI police followed bonfires marking the 33rd anniversary of the introduction of internment on Sunday night.

Police claimed hundreds were involved in “running battles” in west Belfast but Sinn Féin said only a dozen youths were involved in what it described as a “mini-riot”.

Officers were pelted with stones and bottles when they drove up to the bonfire on the Westlink, a stretch of dual carriageway running through the city.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Fra McCann accused the PSNI of provoking trouble and of exaggerating the extent of the disturbances.

The West Belfast MLA said the police presence at a bonfire on waste ground had sparked the trouble.

“At no time were there hundreds of people involved. At its height, around a dozen young people got involved in what could be described as a mini-riot,” he added.

Trouble was also reported at an internmetn anniversary bonfire in the nationalist Fisherwick estate of Ballymena.

DERRY TROUBLE

There were also clashes in Derry as tensions continued to simmer in the run up to the Apprentice Boys parade next weekend.

The attacks occurred on Saturday and Sunday night and involved loyalists from the Fountain estate, nationalists and the PSNI police.

Stones, bottles, paint and petrol bombs were thrown.