Easter Monday violence orchestrated to distract police from parade, court told

Violence which flared in Londonderry on Easter Monday is believed to have been orchestrated by the New IRA to prevent police from investigating a dissident republican parade, a court has been told.

A man charged with offences under the Terrorism Act was at the parade in a “professional capacity” providing security, his lawyer said.

The solicitor said Thomas Joseph Moore, 55, had provided security at numerous events in the city, including a visit by former US president Bill Clinton.

Moore, from Farren Park in Derry, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court on Thursday via videolink from the custody suite at Musgrave Street PSNI station in Belfast.

He was charged with managing a meeting in support of the IRA.

He was further charged with aiding and abetting unknown persons in wearing paramilitary clothing in support of a proscribed organisation and aiding and abetting unknown persons in failing to comply with conditions imposed by the Parades Commission.

The annual parade in Derry, which marks the Easter Rising against British rule in Dublin in 1916, involved a colour party of people carrying flags and wearing paramilitary-style uniforms with their faces covered.

The march, which started in the Creggan estate, concluded with speeches at Free Derry corner in the Bogside area of the city.

Nearby, a crowd of mostly young people threw several petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles stationed close to the city’s historic walls overlooking the Bogside.

In a change of approach from recent years, the organisers of the parade – the National Republican Commemoration Committee – had applied to the Parades Commission for permission for the Easter Monday event.

In its determination allowing the march to proceed, the commission explicitly prohibited the wearing of paramilitary-style clothes and flags linked to proscribed organisations.

During his court appearance, when asked if he understood the charges, Moore replied: “I do.”

A PSNI detective inspector said he could connect Moore to the offences.

The officer said the Derry parade was an annual event which “traditionally results in significant public disorder”.

He said on Monday a number of the participants were masked and observed to be wearing paramilitary-style uniform.

He said: “This was a direct failure to comply with first condition set by the Parades Commission.”

The officer said Moore was identified by an air support unit directing a group of masked men to the parade starting point.

He added: “There were several outbursts of public disorder with petrol bombs being thrown at police by youths.

“One petrol bomb struck a building that needed to be extinguished by police.

“It is assessed that this is highly likely to have been orchestrated by the New IRA to prevent police from disrupting the now illegal parade.”

The officer said approximately 50 fireworks and 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police and some local roads had to be closed.

The detective inspector told the court that at the end of the parade Moore was observed walking to a dark coloured gazebo.

He said: “The only purpose of this gazebo appears to be to facilitate the changing of clothes by the masked and uniformed parade members.

“At that stage police believe young people were shamelessly and deliberately used to distract police from that area and distract police from gaining evidence of people changing out of their parade clothing.”

The officer said police believe Moore had an “active role” in the parade and objected to bail on the grounds of potential witness interference.

Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey said his client had worked in the security business for 35 years and had stewarded many events in the city including the Derry Halloween Festival, the Clipper Festival, the St Patrick’s Day parade, Irish international football matches, music festivals and president Clinton’s visit.

The lawyer said: “In his stewarding capacity he manages the safety of participants and plays no role in organising any event or what is happening.”

He told the court that Moore had been named as a steward for the parade in the application submitted to the Parades Commission.

He said the message had been conveyed to those who were at the parade that the event was legal, stating his client was there in a “professional capacity”.

The lawyer said he had spoken to the individual who had made the application to the Parades Commission and it was his understanding that participants would be allowed to “stage a re-enactment from the 1970s” as part of the event.

He added: “If Mr Moore does the Clipper Festival he doesn’t go down to Foyle Authority and ask can that boat come up the Foyle, he doesn’t speak to the council to ask is St Patrick entitled to chase those snakes.

“He is by definition security and that is what he does and he works hand in hand with the PSNI on a regular basis.”

District Judge Brian Archer said he would grant bail.

A prosecution lawyer said that decision would be appealed to the High Court in Belfast.

The case was adjourned until May 22.