“District Policing & Community Safety Partnerships (DPCSP) are made up of elected councillors and local community and business representatives. They provide an important forum for issues that matter to local communities to be discussed with senior local PSNI officers.

“These issues can include topics such as local crime rates, internet safety and offences against vulnerable members of the local community. They provide the opportunity for the police to hear at first-hand what actions the local public would like to see them prioritise.

“Given the important role that DPCSP’s play, it is disgusting to learn that sinister attempts were made by masked protesters to disrupt the proceedings of a statutory public meeting at St Comgall’s in west Belfast on Monday, and another meeting in north Belfast on Tuesday afternoon in Girdwood Community Hub.

“I understand that many of those attending both meetings felt threatened and intimidated. I am pleased that the meetings were able to be moved to other rooms and take place while the protesters were eventually evicted.

“Peaceful protest, that is not disruptive, is acceptable but thuggish behaviour, by those wearing masks and who are intent on intimidating participants, is totally unacceptable.

“Hopefully police investigations will be able to identify those protesters who broke the law and bring them before a court to account for their behaviour.”