A cemetery was sealed off after a suspicious device was found in its grounds, a day after a dissident Republican parade where officers were firebombed ended there.

Police in Londonderry in Northern Ireland launched a public safety operation after discovering the device at around 6.30am on Tuesday in Londonderry’s city cemetery.

Cordons were in place in the vicinity and one home has been evacuated and two robots, usually deployed to examine suspicious objects, were seen moving within the site.

The discovery came less than 24 hours after dissident Republicans staged an inflammatory rally on the Creggan estate where police were attacked with petrol bombs.

Officers were attacked by masked youths during the illegal parade linked to Saoradh, the political wing of the New IRA, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

About 20 petrol bombs were hurled at an armoured police Land Rover in the dissident march led by more than a dozen people, including teenagers, dressed in paramilitary-style outfits. It was to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising and it ended in the city’s cemetery where a speaker told the community to “join the IRA”.

Under the Terrorism Act it is illegal to wear clothing or display articles which arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a “member, or supporter, of a proscribed organisation”.

Following the parade members of the colour party who led the march, wearing masks, black berets and sunglasses, were shielded from the view of a police helicopter with umbrellas before their clothes were burnt, in what is thought to be an attempt to destroy DNA evidence.

Officers said that the suspicious device was found where the burnt clothing had been left behind.

'Callous and provocative move'

Ch Supt Nigel Goddard, Derry City & Strabane Area Commander, apologised for needing to close the cemetery but said officers were left with no option.

“We fully understand the level of concern and anger in relation to this, but we have absolutely no option but to take this action,” he said.

“Public safety is our priority, and we will never take any chances when it comes to protecting people and communities.

“This suspicious device is located in the same area where participants in yesterday’s un-notified Easter parade took cover under umbrellas and removed the paramilitary-style clothing they wore, and burnt them.

“A cemetery is where people pay their respects in memory of their loved ones.

“This callous and provocative move flies in the face of that. It is appalling.”

The cemetery was only accessible to facilitate burials on Tuesday and one small funeral was held during the closure.

Mr Goddard added: “We will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum, and work through this operation as quickly as possible.

“However, I cannot stress enough that public safety is our priority and I want to thank the community for their support.”

Separately, police carried out a controlled explosion after a Second World War mortar was found at a natural beauty spot in Co Down.

Army technical officers made the device safe after it was found by a member of the public in the Trassey Road area of Newcastle in the Mourne Mountains on Monday afternoon. The find was not treated as suspicious and the mortar was believed to have been buried in the ground for some time.