Lyra McKee: Violence ‘designed to distract’ from anniversary

Ms McKee's death caused widespread revulsion in Northern Ireland and further afield

Dissident republicans deliberately orchestrated violence in Londonderry on Easter Monday to pull attention away from Lyra McKee's anniversary, her sister has said.

Police were attacked with petrol bombs and masonry at the City Cemetery following Monday's parade.

Vigils had been held earlier to mark the third anniversary of Lyra's death.

"All we wanted to do was to pay tribute to our precious Lyra," Nichola McKee Corner said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Mrs Corner said she had sympathy with the people of Derry "for having to put up with these people who deliberately orchestrate violence".

"I believe, to tell you the truth, that these people deliberately orchestrated this violence to take media attention away from the fact it was Lyra's anniversary," she said.

"They piggy-backed on the media attention that it would bring to the city and it's unforgiveable."

Earlier on Monday flowers where laid by family and friends of Ms McKee at the spot where she was killed

Ms McKee was shot dead while observing rioting in the city's Creggan area on 18 April 2019.

The New IRA said its members were responsible.

Three men have been charged with murder and another six charged with public order offences on the night Ms McKee was killed.

The parade on Monday had been planned by the National Republican Commemoration Committee.

It organises events on behalf of the anti-agreement republican party Saoradh.

The police have linked the party to the New IRA.

About 1,000 people took part in the demonstration; some of them with their faces covered.

The parade started in the Bogside area of Derry and went towards the City Cemetery

Police came under attack at the City Cemetery following the parade.

Seven men arrested under the Terrorism Act have since been released pending reports to the Public Prosecution Service.

A 40-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour and resisting police, has since been charged.

On Tuesday, Derry's most senior police officer Ch Supt Ryan Henderson described Monday's disorder as "premediated".

He told BBC News NI "young people were used, encouraged and cheered along by adults to attack the police".

Mrs Corner said her sister "would be horrified" that young people were being used in that way.

"It amounts to abuse, it's shameful and it's absolutely disgusting. These young people are being groomed and being manipulated by older people to do their bidding," she said.

Adults who encourage young people to engage in violence "should be charged with child exploitation," Mrs Corner added.

Jim Gamble said current legislation is 'not good enough'

Jim Gamble, a former senior police officer and the chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Centre, said it was vital the law recognised how young people are being exploited.

He said current legislation "is not good enough".

Those who use children to carry out violence need "to have a conviction that says they are child abusers".

"They need to be properly and appropriately labelled, and on radar of the statutory agencies that protect children," he added.

"They need to be registering in same way as child sex offenders do, so we know where they are and what they are doing, so we limit their contact with the young and with vulnerable adults."