Sinn Fein councillor blasts tricolour kerbstone painting in Draperstown

Councillor Brian McGuigan said the local community is dismayed at this unwelcome activity.

“Local people fail to understand why this activity was carried out as Draperstown has always been free from kerb painting all down through the years,” he said.

“People are asking who were the people that carried it out, where did they come from and what was their motivation?

“As Draperstown is a majority nationalist town and is not directly affected by the issue of ‘Twelfth’ parades and related Orange and sectarian activity, people are asking in whose interests were those that carried out the painting of the kerbs doing so?

“It must be stated that it appears all those involved carried out their actions in a very rushed manner. The sequencing of the Irish national colours was not kept strictly as green, white and orange. A complete mess is the only way to describe their work.

“I’m pretty sure that those involved had the intention of causing embarrassment to a progressive community, confident in its own culture and heritage, and one that prides itself in being welcoming to the many people who visit and travel through the town for the purpose of doing business, shopping or accessing one of the key gateways to the Sperrins.”