A video filmed in Armagh shows a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer repeatedly punching a grounded man who poses no meaningful threat.
At least three cops restrain the man, with the most violent officer completely on top of him.
Appallingly, the PSNI has attempted to defend the attack, claiming “it was necessary for officers to use a degree of force in order to safely make [the arrest]”.
A PSNI spokesperson gave background to the cop’s attack:
At around 10.30pm on Saturday night, 6 June, police received reports a man had been attacked at a bar on Railway Street in Armagh.
It is alleged the victim had been punched a number of times to the face, and head-butted by a female suspect who then along with a male suspect, is believed to have caused criminal damage to the bar, including smashing a window.
Upon police arrival both suspects appeared to be fighting with each other in the street.
When approached both the man and woman lashed out at police, punching and kicking violently.
PSNI misuse of force must be condemned
Regardless of what preceded the PSNI brutality, there is no justification for repeatedly striking a grounded man who at that point was barely resisting.
Sinn Féin councillors, Sarah Duffy and John O’Kane, have produced a rather weak response failing to condemn the assault.
They said:
Given the level of concerns that have been raised with us by members of the local community, we have requested an urgent meeting with the PSNI to discuss the matter and to receive an update on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MLA, Colin McGrath, has also equivocated.
It is important to remember that police officers carry out their duties in often challenging circumstances.
However, public confidence depends on transparency and accountability when questions are raised.
The incident is strikingly similar to a recent ‘arrest’ made by thugs in Coleraine. They attacked Mohammed Manai and held him hostage, likely motivated by his ethnicity.
Police had accused Manai of attempting to gain entry to a primary school, without providing any evidence. The PSNI subsequently arrested Manai, but not any of his assailants, despite footage proving their violent assault against him.
Recently, Zack Polanski sadly backtracked after rightly criticising police in England for “kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by taser”.
The attack happened during an attempt by police to subdue Essa Suleiman, who is accused of stabbing three men in London.
Once again, however, it’s important to emphasise that we ought never justify extreme, needless violence from police, even in extreme situations.
Amnesty criticise rising police aggression
Doing so leads to appalling crimes, particularly against marginalised groups, such as when a thug in uniform carried out the manslaughter of ex-footballer, Dalian Atkinson, in 2016.
Benjamin Monk kicked Atkinson with “such force that his bootlaces left an imprint on his forehead”.
Amnesty International has drawn attention to increased PSNI use of force. In 2024, the NGO raised the “deeply disturbing” 21% increase in such methods from the previous year.
Recently, it raised concerns about the police service’s decision to bring in a “‘Taser 10’ (T10) electro-shock weapon”. Amnesty International said the weapon “carries significant new risks, with the potential for serious unintended injuries”.
It cites the most recent PSNI statistics on use of force, which show a 36% increase in drawing tasers and a 38% increase in firing them.
The Armagh incident raises questions about whether PSNI officers can control themselves even when unarmed, so handing out new tasers seems liable to pose an even greater danger to the public.</p>
Featured image via Niall Carson/ PA
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