President Bidens scheduled trip to Ireland to celebrate the Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998 wont be canceled even though the terrorist alert has been switched to severe.
Biden knows the risk but says it wont keep him away.
The threat level in Northern Ireland was lowered last year, but after several attacks on police officers, MI5 raised the level to severe.
Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was attacked while off-duty. While loading soccer balls into the trunk, two gunmen shot him multiple times. The attack is a reminder of the unrest lasting 30 years in Northern Ireland, known as The Troubles.
According to Fox News, From the late 1960s through the late 90s, over 300 police officers were killed during the violence that unfolded in Northern Ireland between Irish nationalist militants, who opposed British rule, and pro-U.K. unionists, the BBC reported. Over 3,500 people died during the unrest.
After the agreement was signed, attacks did not stop but drastically decreased. However, the level was listed as severe until 2022. There are still nationalist groups in Northern Ireland. The New IRA is such a group that broke away from a political party. They are known for using violent tactics, but still, people support them.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris wrote in a statement to Parliament, the public should remain vigilant, but not be alarmed, and continue to report any concerns they have to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Heaton-Harris said, You should be worried for your police service. I wouldnt encourage people to be hugely concerned about their own safety broader than that, according to the BBC.
Biden is not concerned about the attacks on police officers, even though hell be surrounded by them and security during his visit to Northern Ireland. So many officers will cover him that it will impact Irish League football. Belfast Telegraph says, The only match being moved away from that night, however, is the Blues v Glens encounter while Cliftonville against Larne at Solitude and Crusaders versus Coleraine at Seaview remain on at 7.45 PM. They dont feel they have enough resources available for all the games. Those looking forward to the game are incredibly disappointed.
Login