PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said he won't be bowing to demands for his head from DUP leader and First Minister Arlene Foster in the wake of the Public Prosecution Service decision not to prosecute any of those who attended the funeral of leading republican Bobby Storey, writes Conor McParland from PSNI headquarters at Knock. 

The funeral to Milltown Cemetery last June attracted several thousand mourners including deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, at a time when Covid restrictions were in place.

A police file has been with the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) since December.

On Tuesday, a PPS report recommended no prosecutions.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said Mr Byrne’s position was “untenable” and called for him to resign.

She said it was “now clear confidence cannot be rebuilt with him in post.”

At a media facility at Police Headquarters at Knock in East Belfast, the Chief Constable stood firm on his position.

“I stand behind the actions of the senior officers in the planning of this operation. It was entirely consistent with our training,” he explained.

“If I were to go, it would undermine our future planning at any event like this. We are here to police impartially. We done that in the run up to the funeral, during the funeral and in the investigation. 

“I was employed to do a job here in a complex organisation. If I were to step aside, it would undermine anyone who would come after me. Public servants need to be held to account but every time something doesn’t go their way, we have to resign? There is no continuity. The constant attacks on public servants is unwarranted.”

Simon Byrne said he “respected” the decision of the PPS. 

“Having considered our prosecution recommendations, we note their decision not to prosecute but it does not change our view that what happened last summer when large numbers of people chose not to stay at home at the height of the pandemic was unnecessary, irresponsible and insensitive. It was wrong.

“The policing of a large funeral in a Covid pandemic was always going to be a challenge. Using force to prevent the funeral was never going to work, nor indeed would it be justified or proportionate.

“We initiated a command structure with our four E’s approach — Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce.

“The PPS are clear we did engage with the organisers but despite the public furore, no deals were done. We did not turn a blind eye.

“It is clear that the prosecution outcome would not have been different even if our approach had been given the complexities in the regulations at the time. Our own independent investigation recommended prosecutions for 24 people in breach of the health prosecution regulations. The PPS has not supported this view and we respect this.”

Arlene Foster, who rang Simon Byrne to demand his resignation, said the engagement between the PSNI and the Storey family over the funeral arrangements was a factor in no prosecutions being made. 

Sinn Féin Northern leader Michelle O'Neill said the Covid protocols applied to everyone and apologised to anyone who had been hurt by the scale of the funeral for "my dear friend Bobby Storey". She added: "No funeral is more important than any other. No family or community is any more important than any other. All grief is devastating."