They have also expressed their gratitude "to the members of the PSNI for their courage in the face of adversity’" over recent weeks.
In a letter from a group of church leaders which included, the Catholic and Church of Ireland Archbishops of Armagh, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the Presidents of the Methodist Church in Ireland, officers were praised for the protection and care they afforded to everyone who had been ‘attacked, abused and faced intimidation with the threat of violence.
The Church Leaders claimed that it’s everybody’s responsibility to show love to their neighbours, to welcome the stranger, and to show kindness and compassion to the most vulnerable in society."
The letter went on to add that ‘the last number of weeks have seen shocking examples of violence and intimidation on the streets in various towns across Northern Ireland as well as racially motivated attacks initiated by individuals who decided to take the law into their own hands.
The Church Leaders also encouraged everyone to engage positively with PSNI, allowing its officers to do their duty and “for all to work together in mutual respect for the safety and wellbeing of the whole community.