Sinn Féin and PBP representatives get PSNI letters

The PSNI has begun issuing letters to people suspected of committing offenses related to protests on the Garvaghy Road. Sinn Féin has confirmed a number of its representatives have received such letters. It follows a continuing standoff between residents of Garvaghy Road and the Orange Order, which has been trying to march down the nationalist area for the first time in twenty-eight years since September 27th. Unionist politicians had called for police to take action against First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who attended the protest. Joining us now is Sinn Féin MP for Belfast North, John Finucane. And John, you're welcome to the program.

Morning, sir.

Um, can I ask you firstly, have you received a letter?

No, I, I haven't.

Okay. And do we know at this stage how many in Sinn Féin have?

No, uh, th- this is, uh, seems to be a developing a- and moving situation with the PSNI, uh, starting to issue letters to individuals from yesterday evening. Uh, I, I would expect, I, I would guess that that is a process that may well run into today over the next couple of days. Uh, but I think first and foremost, it's important we remember how we got here. Uh, the people of the Garvaghy Road had enjoyed twenty-eight years of peace, and then through absolutely no fault of their own, all of that was thrown into uncertainty. And, and this was a community that asked for nothing more to be left in peace. It found itself once again at the center of a deeply divisive, bitter, and entirely unnecessary confrontation. And the fear, anxiety, and distress that I've witnessed, and that that has caused, is very real.

Okay.

And I think that that has been lost in far too much of the political commentary. But I, I, I'll make this other point. The fundamental question here remains unanswered. We, we are two weeks on from the determination by the Parades Commission. Why is this determination still hanging over the heads of those residents? And the British Secretary of State needs to intervene politically. He needs to bring this situation to an end and allow this community to get on with their lives.

Okay. Can I bring you back to the letters for a moment? Do we know what the letter says?

The letters, I, I understand, invite, uh, the recipients to attend an interview if they so wish-

Sure

... to discuss, um, potential offenses which aren't outlined. I, I think one may have been on, on social media last night that, that I saw, but I don't have the detail as to what is in that letter. It would be a fairly standard procedure for what are, uh, summary offenses h- here in the North. Um-

Okay.

But and, and as-

And if elected Sinn Féin representatives do get letters from the PSNI asking them to attend for a voluntary interview, will they?

Yeah. I mean, we've been absolutely clear on this. Um, you know, nobody's, nobody's [laughs] above the law. Nobody's ever suggested otherwise. But, you know, we, we are not going to allow discussion about the rule of law to become a distraction from the extraordinary circumstances that brought us here. The, the people of the Garvaghy Road did not create this crisis. They didn't seek confrontation, they didn't invite this threat to their peace, and they certainly didn't