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Dissidents stop DPP meeting
DISSIDENT republicans have prevented a District Policing Partnership (DPP) meeting in Londonderry this afternoon.
Over thirty dissident supporters tossed stink bombs, blew whistles and shouted anti-police slogans at the meeting in the Tower Hotel.
Such was the disruption the meeting was abandoned. No one was arrested.
Inspector John Burrows said the actions were beyond the bounds of a peaceful process.
"This type of juvenile behaviour will not prevent police in Derry from doing their job," he said.
The planned protest had been advertised on dissident republican websites. A posting said the protest was planned by the 32 County Sovereignty Committee in tandem with other republican organisations. The dissidents said their protest was designed to highlight a "harassment campaign" against republicans.
Anti-terrorism powers were due to be discussed at the meeting after there were 700 stop and search incidents in Londonderry in the past twelve weeks.
SDLP MLA, Pat Ramsey said: "These people talk about the democratic process and the lack of accountability but this meeting was a further chance for the general public to give serious questions and comments to the police on a whole range of issue. However, they were prevented from doing so by the dissidents as their behaviour forced the meeting to be stopped.
"These dissidents, who disrupted this meeting for their own, narrow minded agenda, do not represent the people of Derry. All they could offer was intimidating tactics to attempt to scare the members of the public they are pretending to represent."
Earlier today, the Real IRA claimed responsibility for sending bullets to workers at Ulster Bank in Londonderry who have relatives in the security forces.
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Weather for Londonderry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
