Police said an “appropriate and proportionate policing response” was in place
Two arrests have been made after a number of rallies and protests took place in Belfast city centre.
Police said an “appropriate and proportionate policing response” was in place to manage three separate parades taking place on Saturday, November 29. This included a loyalist march from Sandy Row, a pro-Palestinian rally, and a parade organised by the Ulster-Scots agency to mark Belfast Tartan Day.
Around 20 TSG officers were deployed to assist in crowd management, as the pro-Palestine parade and the loyalist march met outside Belfast City Hall.
READ MORE: Man found with ‘significant injuries’ after West Belfast assaultREAD MORE: Woman rescued from River Lagan in Belfast in early hours incident
City Hall is currently hosting the city’s Christmas Market, with the front gates closed for a time this afternoon, and members of the public attending the market directed to its side entrances.
The rallies and demonstrations passed without major incident, but police have confirmed two arrests were made.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “One person was arrested for public order related offences, another was arrested following a report of an assault.
“An evidence-gathering operation was in place at each protest and we will now review the footage gathered and consider any potential offences.
“The right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are fundamental human rights which are protected in law and allow individuals to engage in peaceful protest.
“However, these rights are limited by the need to uphold the rights of others, protect public health and safety, minimise disruption to normal life and by the need to prevent and detect crime.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter.
#arrests #Belfast #proPalestine #loyalist #parades #held #city #centre
