Northern Ireland

Part of gravestone thrown at police vehicle in cemetery

Police said part of a gravestone was thrown at one of its vehicles in Belfast City Cemetery, causing the windscreen to crack. Picture by PSNI/Facebook
Police said part of a gravestone was thrown at one of its vehicles in Belfast City Cemetery, causing the windscreen to crack. Picture by PSNI/Facebook Police said part of a gravestone was thrown at one of its vehicles in Belfast City Cemetery, causing the windscreen to crack. Picture by PSNI/Facebook

PART of a gravestone was thrown at a police vehicle by youths in Belfast City Cemetery.

The windscreen was cracked when the vehicle was targeted at around 8pm on Saturday.

It came a week after vandals ripped up part of the play park in the nearby Falls Park and "used it as missiles" to attack police.

It is the latest incident of anti-social behaviour in the park and cemetery, which have been plagued by crowds of youths gathering to drink.

According to police, there were 50 to 100 young people congregated in the Falls Park on Saturday night, a drop from the previous weekend, when around 200 were estimated to be in the park and cemetery.

Police said work at "various levels" had made a "significant difference" in reducing anti-social behaviour.

In a Facebook post, the PSNI said the vast majority of young people were "very well behaved and chatted to police and council officers with no problems".

It said: "They stayed out of the play park and on the whole left the park at closing time. There were very very few signs of alcohol being consumed, however we did make two seizures of alcohol and one youth is being dealt with by the council's alcohol enforcement officers."

However, police said a vehicle at the cemetery did come under attack from a "very small group of about five youths".

"We are talking about the grave of someone's loved one being damaged here," the post said.

"Why do you even feel the need to be in the cemetery in the first place? Cemeteries should be places of quietness, peace and respect."

In April, the Falls Park was closed early by police after 150 youths gathered and threw stones at cars and pedestrians on the Falls and Whiterock Roads.