Graffiti attack on Portstewart Orange halls

Republican slogans and ‘Brits Out’ were daubed with paint on Burnside Orange Hall in Portstewart. and minor damage was caused.

Orangemen later discovered that similar slogans had been daubed on Portstewart Orange Hall, about half a mile away, in the centre of the town.

The Grand Lodge has condemned it as an attack on the Orange and Unionist community in Portstewart and asked anyone with any information to contact the police.

A spokesman said: “We believe this attack was made during broad daylight, close to a busy thoroughfare, and someone must have seen the people responsible.”

Condemning the attacks, East Londonderry MLA David McClarty, said: “Portstewart has long been renowned for its excellent community relations, and the people responsible for these attacks on the Orange Halls are no doubt seeking to create tensions within the local community, and then exploit those tensions for their own sinister ends.

“The perpetrators are neither wanted nor needed by anyone in Portstewart, nor indeed anywhere else for that matter and they cannot be allowed to succeed.

“These are sectarian hate crimes, they constitute an attack on the entire local community and the peace and tranquility which everyone enjoys.

“I would appeal to anyone who saw anything suspicious or has any information, to come forward immediately and ensure that whoever is responsible is caught and brought to justice.”

Councillor Phyllis Fielding says that the area does not need attacks like this as the summer season approaches.

She said: “I have to condemn this attack.

“Recently offensive and sectarian grafitti has appeared in a number of areas in the Coleraine borough. This vandalism of property must be condemned by everyone.

“I would appeal to the community to report any such attacks to police.

“Portstewart, or indeed any town in the Coleraine area, does not need this type of behaviour as the summer season approaches.”