A man found carrying a hatchet in Newry city centre has been arrested.
Sinn Féin Councillor Aidan Mathers has condemned the incident which occurred in the Hill Street area of the city.
It was reported that police detained and arrested a 36-year-old man.
He has since been charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
Councillor Mathers described the incident as “criminal and completely unacceptable”, warning that it posed a serious risk to public safety.
“This kind of behaviour is criminal and completely unacceptable and poses a serious risk to the safety of our community. There is no excuse for carrying weapons on our streets,” he said.
“I want to thank the PSNI for their prompt and effective response in addressing the situation and making an arrest.
“I remain committed to working closely with the police and community partners to prevent such dangerous incidents and to help keep Newry safe for all.”
Police have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
