Opinion

Use of gravestones as weapons unacceptable

LAST week young thugs caused serious damage to a play area in a Belfast public park, apparently to provide missiles to throw at the police.

Previously vandals have been involved in numerous acts of violence and vandalism in the park and the adjoining City Cemetery. These have included further attacks on the police and drivers travelling on the Falls and Whiterock roads and in neighbouring housing estates.

All of these incidents, particularly damaging a play park, exhibited appalling disregard not just for safety but also for the rights of all members of the community who use these facilities.

At the weekend the PSNI reported that young people using the park were generally well-behaved and paid tribute to all the agencies striving to make the area safe for all to use. But amid the apparently improved behaviour there was a serious incident in the City Cemetery.

A police vehicle was damaged when the windscreen was hit with a large piece of masonry, apparently part of a grave which has been damaged.

Sadly damage to graves by vandals is not the rare occurrence which it used to be. Despite how common such offences may be it is difficult to imagine just how distressing it would be for any family to discover that the final resting place of a loved one has been damaged in this way.

While it is encouraging that the PSNI are keen to highlight any improvements in behaviour it is clear that more needs to be done. Not least among those needing to play their part are parents whose children are using the City Cemetery as a place to drink rather than respecting it as the last resting place of many thousands.