DERRY City and Strabane District Council is holding a protest rally this evening over six days of violence in the Bogside and Fountain area.
Politicians and church leaders have been united in condemning the violence and have called for it to end before someone is killed.
The council said in a statement: “The Unity of Purpose Group comes from all walks of life – consisting of political leaders, public service providers, private business, communities and churches and we have one common goal – helping to build a safe and secure future for our people.
“The recent violent behaviour we have seen against the people in the Fountain, the people in the Bogside and against the PSNI is not representative of this city as a whole. We are better than this.
“It is clear that some of the young people who are involved in this criminal activity are unaware of the consequences of their actions and are being misled by adults with more sinister agendas.
“This violence is putting lives at risk and together we feel we need to stop this now before someone is seriously hurt or a life is lost.
“We plead with people from all sides of our community to come together with us and tell these people this activity will not be tolerated and it is not in our name. They cannot and will not succeed.
“The Unity of Purpose Group members ask everyone in the city to come together this evening at 7.30pm at the junction of Fahan Street/Butcher Gate to reiterate our city’s shared, positive opposition to ongoing events centred around the Bogside/Fountain areas of the city.”
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