A protest calling for an inquiry into allegations of the PSNI spying on journalists has taken place in Belfast.
The National Union of Journalists held the protest before a meeting of the Policing Board, where a report is expected to be delivered later.
This week, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher announced an independent review, headed by Angus McCullough KC, of any use of surveillance against journalists and other specific groups by the PSNI.
It came after concerns were raised during an Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) hearing in London.
The hearing was during an ongoing case examining allegations that investigative reporters Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were subject to unlawful covert intelligence by the police.
It also heard claims the PSNI subjected other journalists to routine phone surveillance.
Mr Boutcher has said much of the public concern has arisen because of “misinterpretation of documents” made available in redacted form at the tribunal.
At Stormont on Monday, Justice Minister Naomi Long rejected a call to hold an independent inquiry, pointing out it was an issue for the Policing Board, the PSNI’s oversight body, in the first instance.
However, she said she was concerned at the allegations and would act if necessary.
Mr McCaffrey was at the protest outside the headquarters of the Policing Board.
He said the review established by Mr Boutcher did not go far enough because it does not have the power to compel former officers to provide information.
He added: “Only a public inquiry can compel former officers to come and tell what they knew.”
“Somebody in authority within the PSNI authorised and allowed this to happen. The public needs to know who allowed it to happen.
“There needs to be a public inquiry because these former police officers need to be compelled to come and give evidence.
“Society needs to know what has been going on for 20 years.”
Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland programme director at Amnesty International, was also at the protest.
He said: “Serious revelations have come out via the Investigatory Powers Tribunal about police spying on journalists and potentially on lawyers and others.
“It is the Policing Board’s statutory role to hold the police accountable so we are asking them to hold an independent inquiry into this surveillance scandal and to finally lay bare what exactly has been going on.”
Thursday’s meeting of the Policing Board is closed to the media.
The board’s monthly meetings are usually held in public, but advice sent to media confirmed that its June accountability meeting would take place in private session because of “pre-election guidance”.
