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POLICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND have expressed concern over the number of pre-arranged fights involving large numbers of young people.
The PSNI have attended a number of incidents in the Brougham Street and Waterworks areas of North Belfast over the last number of weekends where youths were found to be in possession of knives and hammers.
(The Brougham Street and Waterworks areas of North Belfast – via Google maps)
Sergeant Brian Caskey of the York Road Neighbourhood Policing Team said that choosing to carry weapons such as these can “have disastrous results not only for the victim but for the offender who will have to deal with the burden of a criminal conviction throughout the rest of their lives.”
Parental responsibility
Local community representatives have been working in the affected areas in an attempt to prevent any further occurrences.
Gerry O’Reilly from the Community Bridges Project in North Belfast said that the fights were being organised using social media, with people invited to “attend and spectate”.
Harry Smith – also of the Community Bridges Project – urged parents to take greater responsibly in terms of knowing where their children are and what they use social networking sites for:
There are fears that should this behaviour continue that a young person may loose their life. This would have a devastating impact on communities.
Any member of the public who feels they can assist the PSNI can contact York Road Police Station on 0044 0845 600 8000. Alternatively, the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0044 0800 555 111.
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Parents taking responsibility here is very very important,
Since the kids can’t effectively be touched then time to go after the parents, large fines and even in some rare cases perhaps some prison time for parents, they need to control the kids they created.,
“they need to control the kids they created” > I couldn’t agree more with this part…
I see what you are trying to say but if parents are sent to prison who would be controlling their kids then. Kind of a Catch 22 there.
As they were doing such a good job parenting up to now. I’m afraid well and good saying parent better but if you miss a child’s very early life and they become a young teen carrying knifes and hammers its actually to late for them they are already a lost generation by then.
My young man is 11 personally we have raised him well so far to be a happy and very chilled out smart kid. Probably will be a day when a punch up happens in a school and will deal with that. But not raising him to carry hammers.
Unfortunately for kids caught in any serious crime like that its a downward spiral in with 99% do not come out of
If it stops them randomly attacking people based on their religion or politics, then personally, I’m all for it.
A terrible comment. This is a poor reflection on society.
Why do you assume this is about religion? This happens everywhere but most teenagers don’t bring hammers.
Ever been in Belfast, Kevin?
Patrick, I would say it’s a cynical comment, and unfortunately a fair reflection of so-called society in Northern Ireland. Normal rules do not apply there. Take the armed police force, contrived governance, medieval sectarianism, segregated housing and the joyously inappropriately-named “Peace Line” as quick examples.
Have you ever been in Belfast??? I’d be more worried about being attacked in Dublin by a junkie/scrote, than I would be in Belfast.
Fair point Nocturnal. Enough similar characters plentifully located between 270 and 90 degrees of the Liffey.
Maybe there just havin a straightener sure it happens all over the country for hundreds of reasons.
There’s been no such thing as a ‘straightener’ for years. No one these days can accept a defeat, nor can they let someone they’ve beaten forget the fact. You invariably get one side or the other coming back for more, usually getting nastier each time.
New pic Patrick the Brit
Fair point fiachra. I guess it’s true the good ol days are gone!
actually Barry the age of criminal responsibility in northern Ireland is 10 so they bloody well can be touched. its just down here some idiot has decided that until u are 18 u aren’t responsible for any of your actions so up north they can be scooped prosecuted and banged up in juvy hall
The age of criminal responsibility here is 12, anyone between the ages of 12 & 18 can be brought to court.
This is a British problem, why do we even care?
People from Northern Ireland are British citizens, they aren’t actually “British”. Britain is an island, people from Britain are British. People from Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern Ireland are Irish regardless of any borders.
Kevin, last time I checked, Belfast was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Team GB was the team in the 2012 Olympics. Did I miss something?
I think at least half the people in that part of the United Kingdom to which we refer would heartily laugh at your suggestion that they are Irish. They are no more Irish than Angela Merkel.
Am sure we can sort a passport deal for frau Merkel professor….. after all a lot more shady characters are walking around behind the pages of our esteemed passports
Yes UNITED Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It’s a UNION! British people – English, Welsh, and Scots. Irish describes people from the island of Ireland. Ireland could enter a Union with France, that doesn’t make us actually French just French citizens.
Eh, really? My understanding is that British and Irish are nationalities. British people are British. Irish people are Irish. People from that part of the United Kingdom on the island of Ireland are British and/or Irish if they so choose. It doesn’t alter the fact that Belfast is not, nor ever was, and hopefully never will be, part of the country we call Ireland, but which is more correctly the Republic of Ireland.
By the way, out of curiosity, what’s the difference between being French and being a French citizen?
Your understanding is clearly wrong. British people are from the island of Britain, Irish people are from the island of Ireland. French and French citizen? French people are from France not Ireland. If there was a Union between France and Ireland we would be French citizens not actually French; as we aren’t from France. Do you realize how weird this sounds to outsiders “I’m from Northern IRELAND, I’m British not Irish”. Lol can’t imagine what the actual British think.
Make example jail the first person caught with a weapon before some one is killed
sit-ye-ay-shun
Who mentioned passports? I’m talking about nationality and sovereignty. And really that Northern Ireland has nothing to do with our country. It is but a neighbouring foreign state.
Loose their life
What’s the world coming to, both in terms of spelling and this horrible practice!
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