Republican News · Thursday 25 July 2002

Remove sectarian graffiti

Sinn Féin councillor Martin Cunningham has called on Unionist politicians and councillors to support the removal of loyalist graffiti death threats in Kilkeel.

"On Tuesday 16 July I accompanied a member of the Dublin government's Foreign Affairs Department on a tour of Kilkeel and surrounding district," said Cunningham. "Sinn Féin invited him to witness the loyalist graffiti death threats in the Kilkeel area.

"I believe that local unionist councillors should show some leadership in their community and support a call to clean up this type of graffiti. The vast majority of decent people in this area, both Protestant and Catholic, do not want local buildings covered in death threats against their neighbours and friends. Refusal to remove this graffiti only acts as tacit support for the loyalist thugs who have attacked nationalists in this area in recent months.

"Nationalist victims have found that the PSNI are very reluctant to investigate these sectarian attacks. The Foreign Affairs Department have asked us to supply them with details of these incidents. Therefore I am appealing to people who have been the victim of sectarian abuse or attack to log these incidents with any Sinn Féin office."