Attacks on Orange Halls

Request Number: FOI/15208

Category: Incident and Crime Statistics – Area Crime Statistics

Subject: Attacks on Orange Halls

Request and Answer:
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken not to supply the information you have requested and the reasons for this are set out in more detail below. We have also provided you with links to guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office which we have followed in responding to your request.

Request 1
How many attacks have been recorded on Orange Halls in each of the past five years? 

Answer 1
Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Police Service of Northern Ireland, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: 

    a. states that fact,
    b. specifies the exemption in question and
    c. states (if not otherwise apparent) why the exemption applies.

The exemption is listed below:

Section 21 - Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

The full text of exemptions can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk and further guidance on how they operate can be located on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk.

The number of attacks on Orange or Apprentice Boys Halls are published on the PSNI website. Financial years 2020/21 to 2023/24 can be found in Table 4.16 of the ‘Sectarian Incidents and Crimes’ spreadsheet that accompanies the Hate Motivation Annual Trends 2004/05 to 2023/24 publication:

https://www.psni.police.uk/about-us/our-publications-and-reports/official-statistics/hate-motivation-statistics

The latest financial year 2024/25 is available in Table 8 of the spreadsheet accompanying the Financial year update, period ending 31 March 2025 (same web link).

Please note, these figures are subject to the following definition – Attacks on Orange halls/Apprentice
Boys halls relate to crimes where a sectarian motivation has been recorded, where the premises is the intended target of the attack, and where the premises is an Orange hall / Apprentice Boys hall. These figures are a subset of sectarian motivated crimes.

Request 2
Of these attacks, how many were recorded in the Ards and North Down area? 

Answer
Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Police Service of Northern Ireland, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: 

    a. states that fact,
    b. specifies the exemption in question and
    c. states (if not otherwise apparent) why the exemption applies

The exemptions, as well as the factors the Department considered when deciding where the public interest lies, are listed below:

Section 31(1) - Law Enforcement – 31(1)(a) the prevention or detection of crime, 31(1)(b) the apprehension or prosecution of offenders

Section 31 is a prejudice based qualified exemption and there is a requirement to articulate the harm that would be caused in releasing the requested information as well as considering the public interest to ensure that withholding the information is the appropriate response.

Section 38(1)(a) – Health and Safety – Information is exempt information if its disclosure under
this Act would, or would be likely to:
(a) endanger the physical or mental health of any individual.

Section 38 is a prejudice-based and qualified exemption which means the public authority must demonstrate that harm in releasing the information exists and carry out a public interest test.

The full text of exemptions can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk and further guidance on how they operate can be located on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk.

Exemptions Explained

Harm
Any information disclosed under the Act is a disclosure to the world at large and would be disclosed to any individual upon request. For this reason a request under the Act cannot be a private transaction. Both the request itself, and any information which may be disclosed, are considered suitable for open publication.

Releasing this information may encourage attacks upon organisations who have made reports in this area and in turn risk the health and safety to the public. This may impact on resources, as resources would have to be deployed to vulnerable areas, reducing resources that may be needed elsewhere.
Additionally, this could also prejudice the PSNI’s law enforcement functions, as it may discourage members of the public from reporting crime and providing information that the PSNI rely upon to prevent and detect crime.

Public Interest Test
Factors Favouring Release - Section 31
To disclose this information would adhere to the basic principle of being open and transparent, it would also lead to a better public awareness of the workings of the police.

Factors Against Release – Section 31
To disclose this information could impact on police resources, as resources may have to be deployed to the areas that appear more vulnerable, reducing resources that may be needed elsewhere. Additionally, the PSNI rely upon receiving information from the public to carry out their law enforcement functions. Should the public feel that the police are flippant with the release of information which could put them at risk, they may be less likely to make reports, therefore, reducing the capability of the PSNI to prevent and detect crime.
 
Factors Favouring Release - Section 38
As there is a public interest, release of this information would allow for better informed public awareness and would assist the public in ensuring openness and transparency.

Factors Against Release – Section 38
Due to low level data, releasing this information into the public domain could increase the risk that those who have made reports could be identified. This could result reprisals/attacks against them. An increased risk of harm to any member of the public, as a result of disclosure, would not be in the public interest. Publishing this information could lead to the loss of public confidence in PSNI’s ability to protect the wellbeing of any individual(s).

Balancing Test/Decision
The Police Service is charged with enforcing the law, preventing and detecting crime and protecting the communities we serve. Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of the law enforcement role of the Police Service, providing assurance that the Police Service is appropriately and effectively engaging with the threat from criminals, there is a strong public interest in safeguarding the integrity of the police service and its functions.

Additionally, information should not be released, if it is likely to have a detrimental effect on the physical or mental health of any individual. The public entrust the Police Service to make appropriate decisions with regard to their safety and protection and the only way of reducing risk is to be cautious with what is placed into the public domain. Whilst there is a public interest in the openness and transparency of the PSNI, there is a strong public interest in safeguarding members of the public and the ability of the police service to protect individuals.

It is for these reasons that the public interest must be against the release of this information.

The release of information under Freedom of Information (FOI) is a release into the public domain and not just to the individual requesting the information. Once information is disclosed by FOI there is no control or limits as to who or how the information is shared with other individuals, therefore a release under FOI is considered a disclosure to the world in general.