A BELFAST councillor is seeking an urgent meeting with the PSNI after a spate of stabbings in South Belfast.
In the first incident a man was stabbed in the thighs and groin in Botanic Gardens. Days later two PSNI officers were attacked with a knife and one officer sustained cuts to his face and neck.
On Sunday past a man in his 30s sustained several knife wounds in Raphael Street in the Market district and rushed to hospital.
Condemning this latest upsurge of knife crime in South Belfast, SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown said: "People have expressed grave concern at the number of reported stabbings that have taken place in the area over the past week and are fearful for their own safety. I've had residents contact me who are genuinely shocked and worried about what has happened.
"While there's no evidence to suggest any link, this will provide little comfort to a community which has seen three incidents involving a blade within a one-mile radius of Ormeau Bridge within just a few days. The fact that these have taken place in largely residential areas is of particular concern, and it's only through sheer luck that we haven't had any fatalities."
Appalled at the attempted murder of two police officers on the Ormeau Road last night while they were just doing their job and trying to keep the community safe. Knife crime has no place on our streets. I've spoken to the PSNI and asked them to pass on my regards to the officers.
— Cllr Gary McKeown (@garymckeown) February 1, 2023
Councillor McKeown continued: "As Chair of the South Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership and a councillor for the area, I have been in regular contact with the police over the past number of days, but will be requesting a more formal meeting to get briefed on what their assessment of the situation is and the steps that are being taken to deal with it."
