Law Lords Dismiss Holy Cross Case

Seven years after the eyes of the world focused on a sectarian dispute centred on a north Belfast school, the House of Lords has praised the police for their role.

The Law Lords said the RUC's handling of the 2001 Holy Cross dispute was "the best possible job in the most difficult of circumstances" and firmly dismissed claims of sectarianism and human rights breaches levelled at the police. They threw out a case against the force this week and one Law Lord also offered withering criticism of the nature of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's support for the lawsuit.

The case was taken by the mother of a Holy Cross Primary School pupil (represented by solicitors Madden and Finucane), accusing the RUC of infringing her daughter's rights in its management of the standoff.

However, the Lords unanimously found against the appeal of the parent and 'Child E', which was previously also dismissed in the Belfast High Court and the Court of Appeal and rejected claims the RUC was not robust enough with protestors.

They also rejected allegations the policing operation could have had a sectarian bias and that the force treated the walk to school like a contentious Orange parade, rather than dealing with the need to protect the children.

The eminent judges believed the police did the best possible job in the most difficult of circumstances – into which they poured millions of pounds and thousands of man hours.

They found no evidence, whatsoever, that the RUC would have treated the situation differently had the protestors been Catholic and the children Protestants.

Indeed Lord Carswell said the RUC's actions at Holy Cross - when officers "placed themselves as a shield between a hostile and dangerous crowd and a small group of vulnerable people" – ultimately helped resolve the situation.

Commenting, ex-RUC Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan, who oversaw the operation, said: "We did everything possible to try to make sure we did this correctly and within the law."

Tellingly too he said: "Not one child was physically injured, although they suffered stress - but many officers were injured."

(BMcC)