Doury Road mural attack branded ‘sectarian hatred’

He said: “This is a backward step and one that has to be condemned by everyone. It is only weeks since I and my DUP colleague Cllr Maurice Mills stood together with all the representatives from the community, church and government agencies and admired the workmanship of the mural itself and the leadership that it truly represents.

“The people involved in the community deserve so much credit for having the courage and foresight to make a difference in their community. To strip away what was once threatening and replace it with a thing of true beauty that educates and opens minds to the undeniable truth.

They replaced a mural that depicted a paramilitary force with a portrait of Martin Luther, with the wording ‘Faith alone ‘.

“How anyone could find it in them to attack something that represents progress is beyond me but it certainly speaks more about them than the community that they have attacked,” said Mr Frew.

He added: “It is pure sectarian hatred of anything to do with the Protestant faith and I appeal to the community of the Doury Road to keep up the good work and keep the faith and not let the actions of a few sectarian idiots destroy what they have built up. The local community group works so hard and have made enormous strides in the short time they have been in existence and I give them my total support.”