WITH many places in Northern Ireland seeing a rise in tensions over Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol, the PSNI Fermanagh and Omagh District Commander, Alwyn Barton, says there is some some tension locally.

In towns and cities across Northern Ireland posters or graffiti have appeared against the Protocol and the 'Irish Sea border'.

Recently, a poster appeared in the Diamond, Enniskillen, stating: "The Belfast Agreement has been broken. The deal is off."

Superintendent Barton said the PSNI are in constant contact with members of the community "to seek to understand" what the feeling is and what their interpretation is of events happening across the country.

He said: "My current assessment is that there is there's some concern being expressed. Quite clearly that's the case when we have some posters going up, but the level of tension and the level of emotion at the moment is not spilling over."

He says there has been a mature approach been taken to not take to the streets to protest during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as it would be the wrong thing to do and would "endanger" people, in respect of the pandemic.

He added: "I would really, really discourage [protest] at the minute – it's the wrong time.

"We are standing our best chance in quite a considerable period of time of actually making a positive impact on the elimination of Covid infection levels. We mustn't risk that for any reason.

"There are ways of expressing your views that are lawful, that are peaceful in expressing your views, where you don't endanger anyone."

Superintendent Barton said he is not seeing any indication that people will be rash around their activity.

However, he added: "I do understand that some folk do wish to express their views, as is one of the rights of a democratic society to express their views, and to do so in lawful, peaceful manner is the way to do it."