The cancellation of a policing event at a Derry youth club due to republican protests is a disgrace, the PSNI chief constable has said. Officers were due to have difficult conversations with young people critical of their use of stop and search powers, George Hamilton added. Long Tower Youth and Community Centre called the meeting off after republicans vowed to stage a demonstration. The PSNI chief said: “I think it is disgraceful that this group was able to exercise enough influence and pressure to have the event pulled.”The conference was due to be held at the city’s Guildhall on Wednesday. The youth centre said it had “no option” but to cancel the event after Saoradh refused to engage in dialogue.

Source: The Irish Times April 04, 2019 20:03 UTC