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Belfast
Republican supporters occupy Alliance Party HQ in Belfast
A number of people are reported to have staged a demonstration at the building in a protest over prison conditions.
Updated 12.47
REPUBLICAN SUPPORTERS STAGED a demonstration inside the headquarters building of the Alliance Party in Belfast this morning in a protest over prison conditions.
The PSNI has confirmed that two men were arrested after police were called to the premises in University Street shortly after 10am. According to the BBC’s Conor Spackman, one man remained inside the building chained to the furniture until he also left.
The men were members of the Republican Network for Unity, which UTV reports mounted the protest over conditions at Maghaberry Prison. UTV’s Chris Hagan has tweeted that the protest was sparked by strip searches at the jail.
Alliance Party leader and the North’s Justice Minister David Ford said police were dealing with the incident.
The Belfast Telegraph’s crime correspondent Deborah McAleese tweeted saying that the protest ended just after 11.30am. No injuries have been reported.
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