Belfast Council has rejected a DUP motion calling for “unconditional support” for the PSNI with a knife-edge vote at City Hall.
At the April full meeting of Belfast City Council, elected members voted instead for a People Before Profit amendment which focused on anti-violence.
The original motion, forwarded by DUP Councillor Gareth Spratt, states that the council “expresses its full and unconditional support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and stands with those officers who serve our community so magnificently on a daily basis”.
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It adds: “We condemn the attempted murder of DCI John Caldwell and call upon anyone who can assist in the apprehension and conviction of those responsible, to come forward. We also condemn the series of subsequent threats to both serving officers and their families.
“These are abhorrent to all right thinking people and again we urge that anyone with information should come forward to the PSNI. Threats will not work.
“We urge all those in our community who would consider policing as a career not to be deterred from pursuing this option, and that the united front of politicians following the aforementioned attack continue, to ensure that all necessary resources are in place to protect officers and their families.”
The motion was not put to a vote, as amendments are given the vote first according to council protocol. The successful People Before Profit amendment states: “Violence inflicted down the barrel of the gun has no place on our streets and will only bring more pain, heartache and suffering. Paramilitaries who carry out violent attacks do so against the wishes of the vast majority of people, and against their communities.
“The council therefore condemns the attempted murder of DCI John Caldwell and the subsequent threats to other officers and families which are futile and senseless, and calls for an immediate cessation of all paramilitary activity.”
The PBP amendment was carried with 30 votes in support from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Green Party, and People Before Profit, to 28 votes against from the DUP, Alliance, the UUP, and the PUP.
DUP Councillor Gareth Spratt, who forwarded the original motion, did not accept the PBP amendment. He told the chamber: “We must stand to support the PSNI to recruit from all sections of our community, to have a diverse police force that represents all religion, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.”
People Before Profit Councillor Fiona Ferguson, who proposed the successful amendment, told the chamber: “What is concerning to us about the (original) motion is that it isn’t simply reiterating condemnation for the shooting of John Caldwell and those who are responsible, it is I believe being used cynically by the DUP to push through unconditional support for the PSNI from this council. This comes right out of the Tory handbook, and in the mouth of an election.
“It seeks council’s unconditional support for a force which has been deeply problematic, particularly in recent years, and which has on a number of occasions disgraced itself.”
She said recent reports had shown an increase in misogyny in the PSNI, she criticised the force's handling of the Black Lives Matter protests during Covid, the handling of the Noah Donohoe case, and said Irish Travellers were being “targeted” with stop and search.
Councillor Ferguson referred to a report stating that Catholics were more likely than Protestants to be arrested by the police, and were also more likely to receive stop and search, particularly young Catholics. She criticised the practice strip searching children, and called on the PSNI to end the use of child informants in cases of domestic abuse.
Alliance Councillor Michael Long said: “It seems that People Before Profit don’t support the PSNI at all - I’ve never heard such a whinge-list in all my life. These are serious issues, of course they are, and we have to hold people to account, but there are mechanisms.
“It is poor to hear this, it is one-ended, one-sided negativity - that is all we heard. In any democracy we need law and order that is accountable, that is also supported by democratic parties.
“It is vital that we move forward supporting the police service of Northern Ireland. The words 'full' and 'unconditional' I assume will take into account the fact there are structures within the policing service, whether it is the policing board or the ombudsman, where all the issues raised (will be dealt with).”
Green Party Councillor Mal O’Hara said: “Councillor Ferguson has rightly raised some of the concerns and the need for accountability and transparency and has then argued for better policing.”
He said: “Just because we have those mechanisms for accountability and transparency, doesn’t mean we then say it is unconditional, carte blanche. We (have to) keep holding police to account, to make it better. The best policing is with communities, with their consent and support.
“And I am really disappointed to hear the leader of the Alliance party group at this council describe well documented concerns about some policing operations as a 'whinge-list'. To me that comes from a place of privilege.”
He added: “This motion - where did it come from? Out of the blue, six weeks before an election.
“I urge (you) to look at the records of voting in this council over this last mandate. While we have these set-piece culture wars on almost predictable issues, when it comes to voting, when it comes to money, you will see that Sinn Féin and the DUP very often agree. When it comes to culture war issues, they are often flagged before an election, and that is disappointing.”
Also at the full council meeting the chamber carried on a slim majority a DUP motion to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Women’s UDR.
The motion, forwarded by Councillor Sarah Bunting, stated that the council “recognises the 50th Anniversary of Greenfinches in Northern Ireland, (and) remembers that on July 6th 1973 the Ulster Defence Regiment Bill permitted the recruitment of women into the Ulster Defence Regiment".
It added: “Women were given the codeword 'Greenfinch' and defended Northern Ireland throughout the period known as The Troubles. We are forever grateful for their commitment and sacrifice.”
The DUP, Alliance, UUP and PUP supported the motion with 29 votes, while Sinn Féin, the SDLP and People Before Profit voted against with 26 votes. The Green Party abstained with four votes.
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