Nationalist residents of the Crumlin Road who were hemmed in during the Tour of the North Orange Order parade have accused the PSNI of using unjustified violent behaviour against them.
A group of families who live at the flashpoint area of North Belfast have spoken exclusively to the Andersonstown News about their experience and they showed their badly bruised arms, backs and legs.
The group of both men and women, one of whom suffered a fractured hand when she was trying to defend herself against PSNI officers who were wielding batons, are outraged.
"They weren't there to protect us, or make sure we weren't intimidated. They were there to bully us and beat anyone who came near them," one of the victims said.
A woman who lives at the interface area said when she walked into her front garden she was told by a PSNI officer to get inside.
"He told me to f*** off and go away in and shut your f***ing doors. He said the parade would only last ten minutes."
One man, who did not wish to be identified, said he was attacked with batons by at least three PSNI officers in riot gear. He suffered extensive bruising to his hand, wrist, elbow, back, shoulder and head. He says he was also threatened by a PSNI officer who pretended to fire a gun at his head.
"It all started when I complained about the barriers they were putting up," the man said.
"They were using cable ties to link them and basically we were trapped in our own houses. I complained about them and they took them off. Then some other police officers came and tied them together. That's when I pushed them over, and they fell like dominoes. That's when they came at me with their shields.
"I never realised that a shield could be a weapon, rather than a defence mechanism, because they tilted it up so the tip rammed into my face. After that I was hit everywhere. I couldn't see their faces because they're covered right up to their eyes. And I couldn't see who hit me on the back of the head. I wasn't armed. I was wearing a t-shirt. But it didn't matter."
The crowd control barriers were eventually removed from houses on the Crumlin Road around 6am the following day.
It is expected that the Police Ombudsman will be contacted today (Monday) with complaints about PSNI behaviour.
It is understood that video footage taken by the local community in Ardoyne will also be made available.
Tensions in North Belfast are teetering on the edge since the Tour of the North parade controversially erupted into violence on the Crumlin Road on Friday night.
The electrically charged atmosphere on Friday finally exploded when nationalists witnessed loyalist supporters being shepherded past Catholic homes by the PSNI.
Abuse and missiles were being thrown as well as insults. Some Catholics had their lives threatened and were told they would be burned out of their houses by loyalist supporters.
"I was called a 'Fenian bastard' by the stewards, and they started to call out the number of my house and said they would be back to shoot me, and burn the house down," one of the residents said.
The night before the Tour of the North residents received a letter through their letterbox from PSNI Chief Inspector of North Belfast District Command Unit Nigel Grimshaw.
It outlined instructions for the Orange Order parade, its supporters and for the protest staged by the Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Forum.
"There shall be no conduct words, or behaviour by those taking part in the parade and the supporters of the parade, which could reasonably be perceived as intentionally sectarian, provocative, threatening, abusive, insulting or lewd."
"That letter is just a joke," one woman said – she also showed her bruises to the Andersonstown New.
"Their attitude and ignorance towards us stank. I'm getting really sick of this and I'm fed up with turning the other cheek. They just wanted to beat all round them, and they didn't care who it was.
"They were completely ignoring what was going on behind them and just looking at us. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me."
Another young woman who said she was assaulted by PSNI officers with batons said officers laughed at her. Another woman was spat at by loyalist supporters.
The PSNI have arrested three people as a result of the violence and charged them with public order offences. They have been released and are due to appear in court at a later date.
A PSNI spokesperson added that CCTV footage will be examined and "those breaking the law will be reported for prosecution".
