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image captionKellie Armstrong MLA said the damage will not stop her representing constituents
Constituency offices belonging to DUP and Alliance Party representatives in Ards and North Down have been damaged with graffiti.
The DUP confirmed offices belonging to Education Minister Peter Weir and Jim Shannon MP were targeted in Newtownards.
An office in the town belonging to Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong was also sprayed with graffiti.
Alliance MP Stephen Farry confirmed an attack on his Bangor office.
Naomi Long, Alliance Party leader, said all of the attacks were completely unacceptable . No elected rep should have to put up with this harassment and abuse to do their job, she said in a post on social media.
Alliance and DUP offices vandalised and DUP MLA William Irwin receives threat Graffiti saying RIP GFA (Good Friday Agreement) has been sprayed on the offices of North Down MP Stephen Farry. Picture from Stephen Farry on Twitter Maeve Connolly 02 February, 2021 11:28
Offices belonging to the Alliance Party and to the DUP have been vandalised in Co Down while Newry and Armagh DUP assembly member William Irwin has been informed by police of a threat against him.
Graffiti has been daubed on the Newtownards offices of Alliance assembly member Kellie Armstrong, DUP Education Minister Peter Weir and DUP MP Jim Shannon. All three represent the constituency of Strangford. The Bangor office of Alliance North Down MP Stephen Farry has also been vandalised.
Anti-Brexit Alliance Party offices targeted for graffiti in NI
Naomi Long described the campaign of intimidation as ‘futile’ (Niall Carson/PA)
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North Down MP Stephen Farry and Strangford Assembly member Kellie Armstrong were targeted.
The vandalism included “RIP Good Friday Agreement” in a reference to the 1998 peace deal which largely ended decades of conflict.
Alliance leader Naomi Long said: “This campaign of intimidation against the Alliance Party is as futile as it is despicable.
British Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove 02 February, 2021 13:09
Trust has been eroded and “damage” done by the EU’s actions which risked restricting the free flow of Covid-19 vaccine across the Irish border, Michael Gove has said.
The Cabinet Office minister told the Commons: “Trust has been eroded, damage has been done and urgent action is therefore needed.
“Peace, progress and strong community relations in Northern Ireland have been hard won and in recent days we’ve seen an increase in community tension, and, as was reported last night, port staff in Belfast and Larne have been kept away from work following concerns for their safety.”
Submitting.
“We will not be deflected from that by bomb hoaxes and graffiti.”
There were calls for cool heads and language to be tempered in the Northern Ireland Assembly following the threats against staff at Belfast and Larne ports.
Alliance representative Stewart Dickson said they were unacceptable.
DUP Assembly member William Irwin urged those behind the “sinister activity” to desist immediately.
He was contacted by police on Saturday and informed of “social media misinformation” and a threat against him.
Sinn Fein representative Linda Dillon reminded those speaking at Stormont to watch their tone.
“We need to have cool heads, we need to temper our language, we need to know that the tone that we set in this place is what will happen outside, and for us not to take full responsibility for that is disingenuous,” she said.