A Sinn Fein MLA has criticised the heavy police presence at the funeral in Lisnaskea on Monday of prominent republican and former IRA prisoner Michael McManus at which a helicopter was deployed for several hours.
Sean Lynch claims the police activity near the family home after Mr. McManus’ death and during the funeral service in Holy Cross Church was “disrespectful and totally uncalled for.”
He continued: “The scale of the PSNI’s presence following the death of Michael Mc Manus was over the top and totally unnecessary.
“The heavy police presence surrounding Michael Mc Manus’s death this week antagonised a community, the vast majority of whom support a peaceful way forward,” he said.
Mr. Lynch, a former IRA man, said many people who had paid their last respects to Mr. McManus have expressed their “abhorrence at the scale of the police presence during this period.”
“As a local elected representative I will be seeking answers from the PSNI as to why an operation of this nature was necessary,” he said.
Several flags were on display outside the church on Monday in tribute to Mr. McManus who was a member of Republican Sinn Fein.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland was asked to comment but had not responded by the time this newspaper had gone to press.
In a statement on Thursday, Superintendent Mike Baird said: "We consider the policing arrangements for any event very carefully. We are satisfied that an appropriate and proportionate policing operation was in place on Monday.
“We would welcome the opportunity to discuss any community concerns with local representatives.”
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