Families' 'distress' and determination to have plastic bullets banned after their use during recent riots

THE relatives of people killed or maimed by plastic bullets have spoken of their "distress" and their determination to have the lethal weapons banned after their use during recent riots.

The PSNI confirmed that police fired 20 plastic bullets during race riots last Wednesday evening in Newtownabbey on the outskirts of North Belfast and in Portadown.

The United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets (UCAPB), which is made up of family members whose loved ones have been killed by the weapon, said last week’s use of plastic bullets has strengthened their resolve to have the weapons banned.

Plastic bullets are not used by police for riot control in England, Scotland and Wales. Seventeen people have been killed by plastic and rubber bullets fired by the RUC and British Army since 1972, eight of them children.

For the past 42 years UCAPB has been campaigning to have plastic bullets banned.

“As a group we are greatly distressed about the use of these bullets,” the families told the Andersonstown News.

“We of course understand the police have to protect themselves and the community at large but we are also aware how dangerous these weapons are. 

“We don’t believe these weapons should be part of the police arsenal and an alternative should be sought for crowd control. 

“The United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets mission is to have these bullets banned.”