Youth group calls for political leadership after busload of children caught up in Derry violence
Some of the young passengers sustained cuts and grazes following the incident, which the PSNI said had left them 'shaken'.
"Actions have consequences and the choices you make today can impact your life forever' – North West Youth Services
North West Youth Services, who organised the tournament alongside the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, said they had been left 'deeply saddened' by the events.
"The tournament involved 125 young people from across Ireland, north and south, and aimed to promote unity and understanding among Protestant, Catholic, and new comer communities,' said a spokespreson.
"The bus, carrying participants back to Derry/Londonderry, included young people from all these backgrounds.
"The youth organisations in this City have been working diligently over the years to ensure our young people have the opportunity to grow and learn together.
"The whole community initiatives that our organisations provide are designed to promote tolerance and integration and to help young people realise a shared and inclusive society where they are protected and valued.
"The fact that this event was such a successful realisation of those goals makes this attack particularly distressing and traumatic for all involved.
"Parents and young people should feel assured in the knowledge that they are safe and protected while in the company of our youth workers and that confidence was seriously impacted by the actions of a few last night.'
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
The organisation called on community leaders and politicians to show leadership in reacting to an increasing number of incidents in the city over the last few months.
"This incident follows a series of troubling events over the past number of months, highlighting the urgent need for restraint and responsible leadership,' they said.
"We call on community leaders and politicians to help guide us through these challenging times and urge young people to engage positively and proactively with their local communities and youth workers.
"Actions have consequences and the choices you make today can impact your life forever.
Let us stand together in solidarity, fostering peace and understanding in our community. Violence has no place in our society, and we must all work towards a future where respect and tolerance is embedded into the culture and lives of our people.'
The PSNI confirmed the incident was one of several in the city currently under investigation as 'sectarian hate crimes'.
"On Sunday April 27, police responded to a report of an arranged fight in the Waterside,' said a spokesperson.
"A large number of individuals, mostly youths - some of whom were masked - were observed arriving into the Irish Street area. From around 5pm, bricks, bottles and fireworks were thrown by and at youths, and at police.
"A bus and one vehicle was damaged with bricks while transiting through the area. Two police vehicles were also damaged. The bus had windows broken, leaving passengers and the driver badly shaken. One passenger, a teenage boy, was covered in glass.
"Police appeal to anyone with information, or who witnessed the incidents or has relevant footage, including dash cam, to get in touch on 101, quoting reference 989 of 27/04/25.
"A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Residents ‘badly shaken' as PSNI probes arson attack
Residents were left 'badly shaken' after a reported arson attack outside a property in Portadown, Co Armagh, police have said. Detectives in Lurgan are appealing for information and witnesses following the report of arson in the early hours of Monday. Advertisement At approximately 1.15am, it was reported that two fires had been started outside a property in the Garvaghy Park area, causing significant damage. While no injuries were reported, the PSNI said: 'Residents were left badly shaken by the incident.' Three people were seen making off from the scene in the direction of the Garvaghy Road. The report is being treated as arson with intent to endanger life. Advertisement A PSNI spokesperson said: 'Anyone who may have witnessed anyone suspicious or anyone with CCTV or other footage that could assist with inquires are asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 124 14/07/25. 'A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form via 'You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
'My disabled son was punched' - how a CCTV error exposed major abuse scandal
Warning - this story contains details some people may find Glynn Brown was told that his severely disabled adult son, Aaron, may have been assaulted by staff at a psychiatric hospital, he was shocked and wanted to know exactly what had happened, but could not ask Aaron, who is non-verbal and whom he describes as having the mental age of a was told there was no video evidence because CCTV cameras, installed throughout Muckamore Abbey Hospital six months earlier, had never been switched this was far from the case. In fact, what police officers found when they visited the hospital in September 2017, triggered the UK's largest adult safeguarding investigation and made the hospital one of the nation's biggest ever crime scenes - according to data released by the to staff, the CCTV cameras had been mistakenly left running for the six months since their installation, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).A staggering 300,000 hours of footage was discovered - equivalent to 34 years' worth. It revealed not only the alleged assault on Aaron, but hundreds of other incidents carried out by hospital almost eight years after the discovery, no cases have come to trial and the hospital has not been closed. A separate public inquiry is also yet to report is more, the patients' families still have not been allowed to see the CCTV footage. BBC File on 4 Investigates has now obtained descriptions of what the footage include accounts of patients facing appalling cruelty and physical abuse, and being ignored while seriously unwell. They describe: Vulnerable young adults being punched, kicked, dragged across floors, tipped off furniture and having balls kicked at themPossessions being taken away, shoes being dangled from one patient's ears and crisps packets pushed into another's faceEmotional abuse, including patients with severe learning disabilities being provoked into a reaction and then restrained and placed in seclusion Families say they have been told they are unable to view the footage to prevent any prejudice of criminal investigations."We're left to conjure up these images in our own mind as to what has happened to our loved ones," Glynn told us. The task of reviewing the footage was originally undertaken by Belfast Health Trust, even though it was responsible for managing Muckamore watched samples of the footage from eight different cameras, at up to eight times normal speed - an "impossible" task, according to one of the fresh horrifying details about Aaron's treatment became a regular occurrence for his Friday for months, Glynn received a grim phone call from the reviewers, detailing new incidents. He says he lost count at about 200."I was told there were videos of him being kicked, punched, trailed across the floor with his genitals exposed," he the PSNI seized all the footage themselves and appeared astonished by what they found. After an early police review of the CCTV, officers said in just one of four wards with cameras being investigated, they had identified 1,500 "crimes".One of the most striking features of the descriptions of footage obtained by the BBC is the scale of staff neglect. Patients are frequently described as being ignored - even when seriously to the descriptions, one was locked in a room for 18 hours on one day, and frequently left without access to a bathroom, despite being incontinent. Muckamore Abbey is the largest systemic abuse case uncovered in the UK, according to Prof Andrew McDonnell, a clinical psychologist, who advised BBC Panorama on a 2011 investigation into abuse at Winterbourne View, a private hospital near Bristol."The sheer volume and scale of it - it dwarfs anything I've ever seen before," he McDonnell says he can't understand why there is such little public awareness of the scandal outside Northern Ireland.A public inquiry, which sat from 2022 until March 2025, is expected to deliver its final report and recommendations later this year. However, it has attracted criticism from the families of patients, who do not think that hospital managers have been rigorously says it feels like nobody is to blame and nobody will be held culpable."We expected a robust interrogation," Glynn says. "We thought we'd find out all the answers to all our questions." Disappointment has also been expressed that the inquiry did not call any of Northern Ireland's health ministers to give evidence - unlike the Post Office Inquiry where a minister was questioned over his refusal to meet campaigner Sir Alan criticisms are echoed by public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally, who has led a number of reviews into health service failures, including an NHS panel on Winterbourne agrees that managers have not been sufficiently held to account at the inquiry: "Imagine that the people representing the families and the patients cannot directly ask questions to the witnesses - I find that astounding."Dr Scally also says the inquiry has been needlessly protracted and has lost its "sense of outrage".In a statement, the Muckamore Abbey Inquiry expressed disappointment with Dr Scally's comments, ahead of the publication of its report. It said that lawyers for families of patients were able to make an application to the chair to ask witnesses questions directly - but none had been than 180 witnesses had given evidence, including senior figures, a spokesperson said, and the decision not to call any ministers was the subject of a judicial review which had been dismissed. Senior officials from Belfast Health Trust told the inquiry they did not have concerns about Muckamore prior to the CCTV footage being the BBC has learned that three meetings were held between a health watchdog and the Trust over concerns about the hospital in the three years before the than 200 substantiated reports of abuse were also recorded there in 2014, according to inspections by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority - although these may have included incidents where patients abused parent, Catherine Fox, says she had repeatedly complained about the treatment of her daughter, Alicia, before the CCTV footage was says Alicia was being kept in seclusion - something meant to be used only as a last resort - for hours on end, in a very small room. There was no bathroom and the buzzer to call staff did not work."I would say it was a form of torture, and it was also a form of instilling fear, and no-one else will convince me of anything different," she was so "horrified" she took her complaints to a Stormont health minister, who replied to say her concerns were a matter for the health trust. Patients' families have formed a group called Action for Muckamore which campaigns for mandatory CCTV installation in places where vulnerable people are cared for - a move supported by force told the BBC that 122 people have been reported to Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS). To date, 38 people have been arrested - and some have gone on to plead not guilty. PSNI said it submitted its first file to the PPS more than five years PPS said 15 suspects are currently before the courts and that the progress of cases is also the responsibility of the defence and judges. In a statement to the BBC, the Belfast Health Trust apologised to families and said some staff have been dismissed. It said it would be inappropriate to comment on other specific issues while the inquiry was ongoing - as did the Department of Health in Northern Aaron is now in supported living and doing "brilliantly", according to son is able to go on trips every day, he says - especially to the donkey park and his beloved Nando' is still frustrated that nobody yet has been held responsible for the events at Muckamore Abbey, but he carries on campaigning for justice."Once the world sees the footage," he says, "there will be a profound understanding of how bad and malign the scandal is." You can reach Noel directly and securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +44 7809 334720, by email at or on SecureDrop
Belfast Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Politicians condemn those behind van covered in racist graffiti in west Belfast
The van was daubed with racist graffiti in the Bearnagh Drive area. A company logo on the side suggests the van belongs to Equans, a long-time contractor for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. SDLP West Belfast councillor Paul Doherty described the attack as 'disgraceful'. 'The racist graffiti daubed on a Housing Executive vehicle in Bearnagh Drive today was disgraceful and has no place in our society,' he said. "This vile act does not reflect the people of this community. A community built on respect, diversity and solidarity. No family should have to walk past that kind of hatred.' Mr Doherty said he reported the incident to the PSNI. 'I've flagged this with the police and hope the vehicle can be removed by Housing Executive staff as soon as possible. Those responsible should be ashamed. We stand united against racism in all its forms.' Sinn Féin's Paul Maskey also condemned the graffiti. The West Belfast MP said: 'Overnight in Andersontown, a company van was sprayed with disgusting xenophobic slurs, designed to spread fear and hatred. 'Our activists were in the area today speaking to local residents and the vehicle owner, all of whom are outraged. 'We have reported this to PSNI and I would urge anyone with information to please bring it forward. Watch: Thousands flock to Scarva for annual Royal Black Preceptory parades 'Those involved do not speak for the vast majority of west Belfast. Andersonstown is a welcoming community — one which I am proud to be part of and represent. 'Our resolve is steadfast. Racism will not win.' The PSNI have been contacted for comment. Equans says on its website that it has been 'providing repairs, maintenance, heating and refurbishment services to more than 45,000 homes across the region' for more than two decades. 'The Northern Ireland team has also recently been awarded funding by the NI Sustainable Energy Programme to provide full heating and housing solutions to low income households, helping them become safe, comfortable, and energy efficient,' the website adds.
