THE BITTER feud between warring Loyalist drugs gangs appears to be winding down amid local opposition to the disruption.
The easing of tensions comes with the departure of about a dozen people understood to have moved out of the borough after their names were handed to a ‘restorative justice’ project, with the pledge that the violence would end if they left.
The news follows day after day of developments in the feud which began on March 22 resulting in attacks on a dozen homes in Newtownards, Bangor, Donaghadee and Ballywalter.
On Monday, weapons and drugs were seized by officers investigating the feud during searches of properties in Millisle and north Belfast.
Detectives from the Paramilitary Crime Task Force recovered a stun gun, hatchet and cannabis in the search carried out as a result of a heightened police presence in the area.
The search came on the day a statement from a group calling itself the West Winds Collective called for the departure from the estate of individuals belonging to a group calling itself the ‘Real UFF’.
In its statement, the Collective said local people had worked ‘tirelessly to secure a peaceful end’ to the trouble to ‘prevent an escalation of violence’.
“We as the local residents want all those affiliating themselves with the group calling itself the Real UFF to leave the West Winds estate in the next 48 hours.”
The Collective said they had approached ‘local loyalists in the West Winds estate and asked for help and safety in the local area’.
“That local loyalist grouping has indicated they do not wish to see any further violence,” the statement confirmed.”
Calling for the Real UFF to leave the area, the statement went on: “If they truly care about the local community this is the best thing they can do for it.”
The statement preceded a loyalist protest walk in the estate, staged on Monday evening in opposition to the violence.
Ards and North Down independent councillor, Steven Irvine, addressed a crowd of an estimated 100 people, to urge calm.
“This community does not want to see any violence, against anyone,” he said.
“All violence is wrong and I want to urge all sides not to engage in any further attacks. I would particularly call for threats against innocent family members to be withdrawn with immediate effect.”
Just days earlier, a press conference was held by the most senior policeman in Ards and North Down to reassure the public that the PSNI was ‘working day and night’ and using ‘robust’, ‘overt and covert’ methods to bring the various factions involved in the unrest to justice.
“These attacks are completely unacceptable, incredibly reckless and place our communities at grave risk,” said Superintendent Johnston McDowell.
“We don’t want to see any escalation of violence between these gangs, nor do we want anyone in our communities to get hurt.
“Along with high visibility patrols by our neighbourhood and local policing teams, we are utilising the specialist expertise of our armed response units and tactical support group officers and we are working closely with our colleagues in the Paramilitary Crime Task Force to counter the threat posed by these gangs,” he said.
“We know that our local communities are concerned and worried at this time but please be assured that we are doing everything in our power to put a stop to this senseless criminality.”
The district commander’s call followed four arrests after masked men paraded through Newtownards in broad daylight on Thursday.
The group had gathered near the town’s court house where a gang member had faced charges that were unrelated to the feud.
The frightening scenes of masked men parading through the town prompted nursery school workers to rush children indoors and the head of nearby Regent House Grammar to lock the gates of the school as a precaution.
In total, it is understood 14 men have been arrested and four have appeared in court in connection with the spate of recent attacks.
