THE PSNI's new chief constable has dismissed as "fake news" claims of a 'viable' device disrupting a Twelfth parade.
Simon Byrne, who took up the top post earlier this month, made the comments in a Twitter debate.
He was referring to a suspicious object and subsequent security alert in west Belfast.
The object was found on Springfield Road shortly before 9am on the Twelfth, delaying a feeder parade from Whiterock Orange Lodge.
In a Twitter thread on Friday, Mr Byrne responded to a question on the device with the reply "fake news".
During the ensuing discussion, he was asked to clarify what he meant by "fake news" with some people questioning if it was a "cover-up".
DUP Belfast councillor Dale Pankhurst said the response was inadequate.
"Not a good start with this, Simon. Dismissing a serious incident (terrorists targeting an Orange parade) with 'fake news' isn't good enough," he said.
Another tweeter said: "Fake news? Is that seriously how you answer the public? What about, 'There was no device, there was a hoax device or there was a suspicious device which was dealt with by ATO'?"
The chief constable later said: "As I told media at a press conference on Saturday, July 13, the information I had at the time was that this was a hoax device and that has since been confirmed.
"There was no media blackout and, in no way, was there any attempt to censor this information."
There had been confusion over the device on the Twelfth, with DUP councillor and former Belfast lord mayor Brian Kingston saying on the day he had heard from a fellow Orangeman it was a "viable device" and a controlled explosion resulted in a "fire ball".
Orange Order grand secretary Mervyn Gibson also described the device as "viable" in an interview on the BBC.
Meanwhile, there were separate security alerts on Saturday in the Clooney Road area of Derry and the Moneyrannel Road area of Limavady.
Police said "nothing untoward" was found in both cases.
