Ebrington Square has recently seen clashes involving teenagers which were said to be motivated by sectarianism.
Police responded to two reports made around 7.30pm on December 30, 2024, in relation to a large gathering of young people in Ebrington Square.
In one of the calls, it was reported these youths were chasing each other; in the second, it was reported it may have been related to an arranged fight.
Police responded, but when officers arrived in the area the youths had dispersed.
The Belfast Telegraph has also learned that complaints have been raised about drug-taking in public toilets at the site.
A member of the public had raised concerns that this sort of activity could increase during the summer and questioned why daytime security had been removed.
A Freedom of Information request was submitted to The Executive Office asking for a breakdown of incidents in 2023 and 2024, but no response was provided.
It’s understood security currently operates onsite between 7pm-7am with 32 CCTV cameras monitored by the City Centre Initiative.
Security is said to be a significant cost which is passed on to businesses operating at the site.
Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin said: “It is deeply worrying that The Executive Office have taken this decision to remove security from Ebrington Square.
“This site has a long and complicated history, but its regeneration is something we should all be proud of. Ebrington offers both cultural and economic opportunities and has recently seen both Alchemy and EY NI make Ebrington Plaza their new headquarters.
“I am concerned that the recent violence, which has largely involved young people, has been deemed to be sectarian in nature.
“We cannot allow our young people to get caught up in this and risk harming themselves or others and putting their futures at risk. The community in the surrounding area cannot be made to feel intimidated and unable to use this shared space.
“It is hard to understand why The Executive Office has taken the decision to remove security and replace it with CCTV cameras. Having robust security measures in place is the only appropriate way to secure this site.
“We must send a clear message that violence of any kind is not acceptable. I will continue to lobby The Executive Office to reverse this decision to discourage anti-social behaviour in this area and to ensure that everyone using Ebrington and living in the surrounding area can feel safe in their own community.”
Ebrington Square in Derry-Londonderry (Pic: Martin McKeown)
The PSNI said it is engaging with local representatives to gain an understanding of the situation and establish what exactly occurred.
“In the meantime, our neighbourhood team will continue to engage with local people, focusing our patrols where they are needed and taking positive action where we can, and we encourage the community to continue to report crimes or incidents that impact on their quality of life on 101, or 999 in an emergency.”
Inspector Spence added: “Anyone who engages in anti-social behaviour needs to consider the consequences of their actions and of the dangers of getting involved in this type of behaviour. Ultimately, they could end up with a criminal record, which may impact their future employment and travel prospects.
“Anyone with information in relation to these reports is asked to call us on 101, quoting reference 1457 of 30/12/24.”
The Executive Office has been contacted.