Mid Ulster unionist councillors challenged to condemn 'orchestrated campaign' to damage Irish-English signs

Mid Ulster Councillor John McNamee has condemned what he sees as an orchestrated campaign targeting bilingual Irish-English street signs.

The Sinn Féin representative for Cookstown DEA told the February council meeting that signs in the Coagh and Ballinderry area were targeted recently, with ‘UVF’ painted over them.

"Members will recall at December’s Environment Committee, I referenced the report from the BBC, highlighting damage to over 300 dual-language signs across the North, and in different council areas as well.

"Most concerning was that 209 – approximately two thirds – were damaged in Mid Ulster. This clearly [is] evidence [of] an orchestrated campaign taking place across Mid Ulster.

"Over the last four or five years, Sinn Féin has continually raised attacks on dual-language signage, either at different council meetings, or at Policing & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) meetings, but to date and for whatever reason, there has been a failure of political Unionism to address the concerns of my party and that of other council members here tonight.

"Even though these attacks have resulted in thousands of pounds of damage to council dual-language signs, it has also resulted in hate crime, and it is attacks on those communities who, through a democratic process, have chosen to have their street or road reflected in both the Irish and English language, and it has impacted on community relations

"So Chair, I’m calling on the unionist members of this council here tonight to send a clear message to the perpetrators responsible for causing this damage, to step up to the mark and call it out for what it is. It’s wrong, it shouldn’t be happening, and it needs to stop now.”

"Maybe if the unionist members want to make a response to that. This is ongoing damage taking place over five years, and there seems to be silence at meetings, or deflection at meetings. No one seems to want to answer what really is going on here,” he said.

The council Chairman brought the matter to a close, reminding Cllr McNamee the issue had been brought up under Chair’s Business, which is not meant to allow for any form of debate.