Online Sinn Féin porn hoax

The PSNI have launched an investigation into the lewd images, which were uploaded along with titles such as “Dungiven Sinn Féin”, “Shantallow Sinn Féin” and a host of others.

It is not just Sinn Féin in County Londonderry who have been targeted in the pornographic hoax. Republicans from all areas of Northern Ireland, and indeed areas in the South such as Limerick, were targeted in the videos. They appear to have been uploaded by three separate YouTube accounts, although the similar style of each video would seem to suggest they have been uploaded by one individual.

Some of the videos begin by displaying the Sinn Féin logo, before flashing up crass, pornographic imagery which it would not be suitable to describe in a family newspaper.

It is not just Sinn Féin who have been subjected to the online pornographic hoax, with other prominent Republicans such as Mickey McGonagle of ‘Republican Sinn Fein’ – a separate political party - also being targeted.

Sinn Féin say they have been taking the use of their name alongside such disturbing online images very seriously. The PSNI have also launched an investigation into the crass online attack on Sinn Féin and prominent local Republicans.

A police spokesperson said: “PSNI have received a number of reports of inappropriate images of individuals being uploaded onto an internet site. Enquiries are being conducted in relation to these reports and any criminal offences will be subject to a thorough investigation.”