Rory O'Connor
11-21-2007, 05:28 PM
(Seamus McKinney, Irish News)
A republican in Derry has said police fractured his arm in three places during a search operation in the city.
Gary Donnelly, who is a member of the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, said police had denied him first aid after he was taken to Derry's Strand Road police station despite his his injury
Mr Donnelly said police had stopped him at Foyle Street in Derry on Friday night.
Officers said they wanted to search him and when he asked them what legislation they were searching him under he was pushed to the ground, according to the Derry man.
"The officer, very forcefully with his two hands out, and he shoved me and he came at me a second time. I put my hands up," Mr Donnelly said.
"He grabbed me and put me in a headlock, threw me to the ground and I think there were two or three officers came in behind and one of them, I believe, stuck a knee on my arm and cracked it."
Mr Donnelly said he had realised immediately that his arm was broken and asked for an ambulance.
"They ignored it and proceeded to handcuff me, put my arm behind my back, put a handcuff on the bad arm," he said.
Police took him to the Strand Road station, he said.
According to Mr Donnelly, despite his appeals for an ambulance, he received no medical attention until his solicitor took him to hospital upon his release about three hours later.
He said he believed he had been singled out because of his republican beliefs.
His colleague Patrick McDaid, who was with him at the time, said four police officers had been involved in the incident.
A police spokesman said a 36-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and disorderly behaviour.
He said the man had been released later pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.
The spokesman said anyone with a complaint about the police should contact the Police Ombudsman's office.
November 21, 2007
________________
This article appeared first in the November 20, 2007 edition of the Irish News.
http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2007/nov20_police_dissident_arm_break.php
A republican in Derry has said police fractured his arm in three places during a search operation in the city.
Gary Donnelly, who is a member of the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, said police had denied him first aid after he was taken to Derry's Strand Road police station despite his his injury
Mr Donnelly said police had stopped him at Foyle Street in Derry on Friday night.
Officers said they wanted to search him and when he asked them what legislation they were searching him under he was pushed to the ground, according to the Derry man.
"The officer, very forcefully with his two hands out, and he shoved me and he came at me a second time. I put my hands up," Mr Donnelly said.
"He grabbed me and put me in a headlock, threw me to the ground and I think there were two or three officers came in behind and one of them, I believe, stuck a knee on my arm and cracked it."
Mr Donnelly said he had realised immediately that his arm was broken and asked for an ambulance.
"They ignored it and proceeded to handcuff me, put my arm behind my back, put a handcuff on the bad arm," he said.
Police took him to the Strand Road station, he said.
According to Mr Donnelly, despite his appeals for an ambulance, he received no medical attention until his solicitor took him to hospital upon his release about three hours later.
He said he believed he had been singled out because of his republican beliefs.
His colleague Patrick McDaid, who was with him at the time, said four police officers had been involved in the incident.
A police spokesman said a 36-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and disorderly behaviour.
He said the man had been released later pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.
The spokesman said anyone with a complaint about the police should contact the Police Ombudsman's office.
November 21, 2007
________________
This article appeared first in the November 20, 2007 edition of the Irish News.
http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2007/nov20_police_dissident_arm_break.php