Northern Ireland

Police examining link between Belfast airport brawl and Co Derry graveyard violence

Footage of the incidents in Belfast International Airport and at a graveyard in Park village, Co Derry
Footage of the incidents in Belfast International Airport and at a graveyard in Park village, Co Derry Footage of the incidents in Belfast International Airport and at a graveyard in Park village, Co Derry

POLICE are examining a potential link between a brawl at a Belfast airport and violence at a Catholic church graveyard in a Co Derry village.

A fight broke out on Saturday evening in Belfast International Airport's departures area among two groups of passengers brandishing objects including mops and metal poles.

Eyewitnesses said the dispute began in a bar before spilling into a seating area where shocked passengers waiting to board flights ran to avoid the violence.

One of those who filmed the clashes described the scene as "absolute mayhem".

Earlier that morning in Park village in Co Derry, police used batons as they intervened to prevent a mass brawl involving more than 200 people in the grounds of St Mary's church.

The crowd had gathered in the Altinure Road area during the incident, which is believed to have involved members of the Travelling community.

Officers had earlier searched the area and seized two loaded shotguns, ammunition, several knives and blades, and a liquid believed to be acid.

Asked if police were examining whether the two incidents were linked, a PSNI spokeswoman told The Irish News it is "a line of enquiry".

Footage of the incident in Park was posted online
Footage of the incident in Park was posted online Footage of the incident in Park was posted online

Belfast International Airport said an investigation into the incident is under way.

It said both the airport police and PSNI attended and the incident was "resolved", but did not say if anyone was arrested.

It's believed some members of the Travelling community were in Park for the rededication of a family grave, but members from another family arrived and tensions escalated, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

Sinn Fein's Sean McGlinchey told the Belfast Telegraph: "If it wasn't for the police there would have been a bloodbath in this graveyard, I have no doubt of that."

PSNI chief inspector Alan Hutton said police were "aware of community tensions in the area ahead of a planned event" and officers were deployed to prevent disorder.

"However, as tensions between two groups escalated, it was necessary for officers to intervene and use minimal force including the use of their batons, given the number of people involved," he said.

There were no reports of any injuries and no arrests were made.

He added: "Following a pre-planned search of the area earlier in the morning, a number of items were seized including two loaded shotguns, a quantity of ammunition, a number of knives and blades, as well as a liquid believed to be acid."

He said enquiries are continuing and urged anyone with information to phone police on 101, quoting reference 278 of 2/2/19, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.