Election Posters Appear On Bonfires

There have been calls for respect to be shown for Northern Ireland's different cultures after election posters for the Alliance Party and Sinn Féin appeared on bonfires over the weekend.

In Bangor, Co Down, posters of Alliance MLA Anna Lo and Sinn Féin's MEP Martina Anderson were placed on a bonfire, while Ms Lo's poster was also set on a bonfire in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.

Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson criticised those behind the move, describing it as a "hate-filled crime", which is "an example of gross intolerance".

He added: "It is hypocritical for the organisers of these bonfires to call for respect for their culture when they are burning posters of politicians.

"The people who are seeking to burn our posters are obviously threatened by our message of building a shared future free from the divisions of the past. Their actions will not stop us from working to bring an end to the politics of 'them and us'."

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt also condemned the move and called for those responsible to remove the posters.

He said: "It is perfectly possible to celebrate one's cultural identity without having to resort to burning election posters or seeking to offend anyone else.

"I have previously called for actions to be lawful and peaceful, but it is equally important to stress that they must also be respectful. Last Tuesday the Ulster Unionist Party tabled a motion at Stormont regarding parading, which called on all sides to show respect, restraint and tolerance for those of differing opinions and I would re-iterate that today.

"The bottom line is that you cannot ask to be shown respect if you yourself are not prepared to show respect to others."

Daithí McKay, Sinn Féin MLA, added: "These are hate crimes against sections of our community and should be treated as such. We need to see strong voices and leadership from political unionism in order to see that these despicable practices are stopped."

(JP/CD)