Vigilante thugs have no place in our society

Alliance Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA has said that vigilantes have absolutely no place in Northern Ireland. He said that the only way to tackle anti-social behaviour is through people working with police. His comments come after reports about the level of paramilitary-style beatings being carried out in Northern Ireland , and the International Monitoring Commission’s findings on the issue.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “Mob rule is abhorrent. It was wrong in the past and it will never be right in the future either. Vigilante thugs have no place in the new Northern Ireland. They are nothing but a sickening impediment to a society building the shared, peaceful future needed for this region to prosper.

“No-one should ever be allowed to wield a fist of fear above a community. No-one should ever be allowed play judge, jury and executioner. This is simply incompatible with any modern, civilised society.

“The only way to tackle anti-social behaviour is by reporting incidents to police and helping them with their enquiries. People taking the law into their own hands are nothing but criminals themselves. This type of action is not justice, it is simply barbaric thuggery. Those behind paramilitary-style beatings must be brought swiftly to justice themselves.”

ENDS