East Belfast dual language street sign removal being treated as 'sectarian hate crime'

The removal of a dual language street sign in East Belfast is being treated as a “sectarian hate crime.”

The street sign on Knock Eden Park in the Rosetta area was removed on Sunday, July 7, with the sign still missing. A local councillor for the area said it was “an attack on diversity and culture”, and Belfast City Council said the sign should be replaced next week.

Sinn Féin representative for Lisnasharragh, Stevie Jenkins, said: "Unfortunately the Knock Eden Park bilingual street sign has been removed again. I have reported this hate crime to the PSNI.

“I have also contacted the council to have it replaced ASAP. Residents are understandably upset at another attack on diversity and culture.”

Police said they are treating the incident as a sectarian motivated hate crime. In a statement, Sergeant McHenry said: “Shortly before 9:20pm, it was reported to police that a dual language sign was damaged in the area. At this stage, the incident is being treated as a sectarian motivated hate crime.

“Police would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to this matter, to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 1559 07/07/24. Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

A spokesperson for Belfast City Council said: “This sign was reported missing on 8 July and a replacement ordered on 9 July. It will be next week before it is replaced.”

It comes after the same sign was removed in a similar incident last month, and after a dual language street sign on Cranmore Park in South Belfast was also vandalised this week.

In January, it was agreed at the council’s People and Communities Committee that dual language street signs, with the street name written in both English and Irish, would be in place on the street.

In a survey of local residents to decide whether the dual language street signs should be brought in on Knock Eden Park, 55 occupiers (28.50 percent) were in favour of the erection of a second street name plate, 46 occupiers (23.83 percent) were not in favour, while 11 occupiers (5.70 percent) had no preference either way. 81 occupiers (41.97 percent) did not respond to the survey.

A new policy on dual language street signs means that 15 percent of residents being in favour is sufficient to erect the sign. Non-responses are no longer be counted as “against” votes, and there will be an equality assessment for each application.

At the full council meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor Tomás Ó Néill said: “We have a threshold set at 15 percent, the registered voters that came in were nearly 30 percent, which is double the threshold.

“The reason for this threshold is about protecting minority languages, minority language rights and visibility. The policy was designed in line with the European Charter for Regional Minority Languages, the UN Convention of Human Rights, and the CRC Rights for the Child.

“The policy was heavily debated and delayed, it took years to be put in place. The street should be delivered in line with the policy, especially one with 28.5 percent of residents looking to see this installed, twice the threshold.”

At the time, DUP Councillor Bradley Ferguson said: “I have been approached by residents who live in the street and they tell me about the good community relations there are in the street and how well people live together, regardless of religion, colour of skin or anything like that. Many raised concerns about this, many thought this would cause an increase in community tension."