Was the PUP telling porkies? As PSNI chief sees 'no rise in threat' from loyalist paramilitary violence

Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said the police have "not to date seen any corroboration of a heightened threat of violence" from loyalist paramilitaries.

He was addressing a public meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast.

Mr Byrne was speaking after the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) last week appeared to place a question mark over the continuation of the 1994 ceasefires.

The chief constable also appealed for people to "calm the rhetoric".

Mr Byrne added: "We are far from complacent and we will continue to remain vigilant."

He acknowledged ongoing "tensions and palpable frustrations" among loyalists over the Brexit/NI Protocol arrangements.

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He said police had examined the LCC letter and are of the view there is nothing of a criminal nature contained within it.

The LCC letter was sent to the leaders of the four unionist parties and warned of "dire consequences" should joint London-Dublin rule be imposed in the continued absence of Stormont.

The Northern Ireland Office has stated joint authority is not under consideration.

With many thanks to: BBC News (NI) and Julian O'Neill (Home Affairs Correspondent) for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: Major drop in Terrorism Act charge rate in loyalist paramilitary activities in the North of Ireland

The Political wing of the UVF the PUP statement the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement which they have stated they it longer supports

IF Carlsberg done the protocol protests they probably wouldn't ask the PSNI if loyalist paramilitaries had been involved

PSNI chief sees 'no rise in threat' from loyalist paramilitary violence