A Lisburn councillor has said political parties silence on condemning alleged sectarian abuse is "deafening"
A Lisburn councillor has said political silence on condemning alleged sectarian abuse is “deafening” amid a hate crime investigation.
Sinn Fein councillor Declan Lynch has spoken out after he says video clips of where he lives has also been put on social media.
Family members including his wife and child are also said to have been targeted by group of men launching a tirade of verbal abuse.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Lynch said: "There is now an open investigation and I understand the police are treating it as a hate crime.
“What happened was we were there and they approached us and then my mother and my wife who had my son and they shouted sectarian abuse at them.
“I understand as an elected member I am going to get some sort of abuse, but to go after my family, that is where the line is drawn.
“They had asked me if I was local and then there were clips of the area I live put up on social media.
“Hopefully it doesn’t happen again, but we won’t let it deter us.”
The Sinn Fein Assembly candidate had been out canvassing at the time in the Lady Wallace Lane area of the city with his party colleague Danny Baker MLA on Saturday June 27.
Councillor Lynch added: “Lisburn is a real mixed area and there is not that type of thing in the council chamber.
“But, I think the lack of condemnation from other political figures and parties in Lagan Valley, if I put it nicely, their silence is deafening, which I didn’t think they would be.
“I just want to make it clear that this type of behaviour isn’t acceptable.
“I have given a pledge that I will work for all in Lagan Valley and this is what I will be doing regardless of a small minority who think they are speaking for everybody in Lagan Valley as that is not the case.
“We will be going back out again canvassing, it’ll not stop us.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report today shortly after 1pm of an incident which occurred in the Lady Wallace Lane area of Lisburn.
“It has been reported as hate-related anti-social behaviour and enquiries are currently ongoing to establish the circumstances.”