Loyalists have again targeted members of the cross-community Alliance Party after it was condemned by hardline unionists over its approach to power-sharing and local government in the north of Ireland.

Graffiti was daubed on a party building in Glengormley in the Newtownabbey area to the north of Belfast.

KAT (Kill All Catholics) and the name of the UVF paramilitary group were sprayed on an external window and door shutters of the office on Farmley Road.

The Alliance Party have been accused by unionist of forming part of a “pan-Republican front” over its failure to oppose Irish language signage and for not supporting a Protestant “culture war” against northern nationalism generally.

Alliance leader Naomi Long, who is also the North’s justice minister, said that the “abhorrent incidents that we’ve seen in recent months directed at politicians and political parties have been utterly unacceptable and are a direct consequence of the harmful rhetoric being spread by individuals both in the chamber and on social media.”

She added: “This serves as yet another reminder that everyone in public life must play their part in reducing the temperature of the current toxic rhetoric and demonisation.”

The Alliance Party have been accused by loyalists of forming part of a “pan-Republican front” over its failure to oppose Irish language signage and of not supporting a unionist “culture war” against Irish speakers and northern nationalism generally.

Last month Ms Long condemned a “mob” who turned up at her home to protest, saying a “line was crossed”, when round 40 masked individuals gathered outside her East Belfast home.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson condemned the attack on the Alliance Party offices, but also claimed that Alliance has “become a champion of causes that divide rather than unite”, referring to the Irish language, Palestine, and climate change.

Other sectarian attacks have been taking place in Glengormley in the past week.

SICKENING

A Catholic businessman has branded a sectarian graffiti attack on his premises in the area as “sickening”.

Aaron Ferguson hit out after KAT ‘Kill All Taigs’ and other graffiti was scrawled on a planned new day nursery overnight on Monday.

Other graffiti included the letters NMH, which is believed locally to be a reference to a local gang called New Mossley Hoods, and QPT, the signature of another loyalist mob known as Queen’s Park Tartan.

Mr Ferguson, who has been a businessman in the area for 25 years, had been planning to open his new business in January when he was targeted.

“I have been working on it for six months,” he said.

“That’s brand new windows and doors that have been graffitied.”

He said he has seen footage that showed it was an “adult orchestrated” sectarian attack in the area to erect flags and damage property.

He described the attack as a major setback and a very worrying one.

“I don’t think or feel it was a personal attack and I would be quite devastated if it was,” he said.

“I have been serving people from those communities…and have done for many years.

“It’s a sickening attack, I think it was more to do with it being an easy target, because it’s quite a quiet area.”

Mr Ferguson said the attack was a “blow”.

“Obviously, we were going to open in January, it has caused major setbacks, it has also given me and my wife pause, it’s just not a very nice place to be or to wake up in the morning,” he said.

Mr Ferguson said he has become aware that there were indications that something might happen in the area.

“I now know there was an indication because of certain social media groups that are apparently known to the police, but there doesn’t seem to be any action being taken against these groups.”