Seventeen Police Officers Attacked Across Northern Ireland in 24 Hours
In a shocking spate of violence, seventeen police officers have been assaulted in multiple incidents across Northern Ireland within just one day.
Coalisland Chaos: Officers Brutally Attacked While Helping Collapsed Man
Four officers in Coalisland were targeted on Saturday afternoon after responding to a man found collapsed on the street. The 38-year-old suspect suddenly turned violent, head-butting an officer and punching, spitting, and kicking others. Even after being arrested and locked in a police vehicle, he continued his rampage—damaging the interior and rendering the vehicle unusable for hours.
The man now faces charges including assault on police, grievous bodily harm, criminal damage, and actual bodily harm. He is due in Enniskillen Magistrates Court tomorrow. Two officers were hospitalised but have since returned to duty.
Midnight Mayhem in Antrim: Officers Slashed with Broken Glass
Just after midnight, five officers answering a domestic assault call in Antrim suffered cuts when a 32-year-old man attacked them with a large piece of broken glass. Three officers needed medical treatment. The suspect was arrested but caused further damage to a police vehicle before being taken into custody.
Ballymena, Belfast Attacks Add to Bloody Toll
- In Ballymena, three officers reported punches to face and head during a call about a street assault. Uniforms and equipment were damaged. A 28-year-old man was arrested.
- In Belfast, three officers were spat on and hit by a man they were transporting to hospital after an earlier fight. The violent suspect remains in custody.
- Also in Belfast, a 34-year-old man was charged with assaulting police, criminal damage, and disorderly conduct after a disturbance on Union Street.
- A 30-year-old woman faces charges for assaulting an officer and damaging a police car outside a Belfast hospital. Both her and a 29-year-old man arrested alongside her have been processed through the courts.
Top Cop Condemns Wave of Violence Against Officers
“It is appalling that any police officer should be subjected to violence whilst simply doing their job. For seventeen individual officers to be subjected to violence, spat on, kicked, and slashed in a single day beggars belief,” said Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd.
Todd added, “While our officers accept the risks, physical attacks are utterly unacceptable. This grim reality is what our officers face daily, just trying to keep our communities safe.”
