Storm inspires drive to ‘demolish the UVF’

An infamous loyalist mural in north Belfast which threatens a return to sectarian killings was badly damaged last weekend as a storm swept across Ireland.

The top of the ‘Prepared For Peace, Ready For War’ mural at the entrance to Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast was blown off by the high winds.

The mural featuring two masked gunmen was built in the former power base of the Mount Vernon UVF, a murder gang which included a number of notorious Special Branch agents.

The wall bearing the mural, which originally also included the logos of the UVF and Young Citizen Volunteers (pictured, inset), partly collapsed as it was struck by ‘Storm Darragh’. The initials PAF (Protestant Action Force), a cover name for the UVF, also appeared on the mural.

Painted in the mid 90s, around the time of the loyalist ‘ceasefire’, it has been quietly maintained for the past 30 years without protest from the authorities.

The issue of official support and funding for the UVF, and loyalist paramilitarism in general, has come back into the public eye recently.

Last week, youth members of a publicly funded community group in Derry were pictured with imitation UVF machine guns during an “educational tour” of Belfast alongside a banner of the unionist paramilitary group. More dramatically, it has emerged that convicted gunrunner Winston Irvine was paid to host an event in a top Belfast hotel attended by civil servants, politicians, police — all while before the courts on serious paramilitary charges.

There is renewed public pressure for action to push back against the high level of support and promotion of the UVF by the authorities.

The father of one of the murder victims has said the mural should now be fully demolished to mark the beginning of the end for the UVF.

Raymond McCord’s son Raymond was beaten to death by the Mount Vernon UVF gang in November 1997.

Since then the campaigner has worked tirelessly to expose the activities of the killer gang. He has said the mural was an affront to people from all sections of the community.

“The mural is an insult to the good people of Mount Vernon, the unionist community, the nationalist community and all the victims of the UVF,” he said.

“Let’s make it clear Mount Vernon UVF and the UVF in general is nothing but a criminal gang and a bunch of low life cowards.”

Mr McCord said the mural should destroyed completely.

“My son’s case brought Mount Vernon UVF down,” he said. “[The] mural should be completely demolished as will be the UVF.”

Urgent Appeal