SDLP & Sinn Féin election posters defaced and torched in Derry

Foyle Sinn Féin and SDLP candidates have been targeted in the latest in a series of incidents across the north involving campaign posters erected ahead of the May 5 Assembly election.

SDLP candidate Sinéad McLaughlin today expressed her anger after a number of her election posters were taken down and burned.

Pictures and video taken last night (Thursday) show the posters being removed and they were then burned in the Riverside Terrace area of Derry.

The PSNI and Fire Service attended the scene shortly after 1am and the fire was extinguished.

Ms McLaughlin called for an end to attacks on election posters after a number of incidents in the city and across the North.

Foyle candidate Ms McLaughlin said: “It really angers me that anyone thinks they have the right to remove my election posters and burn them in the street. Hard working volunteers spent hours putting up these posters and it is totally unacceptable that they have been treated in this way. I’d like to thank the fire service and police for attending this incident and extinguishing the fire.

“As someone who has lived in Derry all my life, raised my children here and worked in our business community for many years it’s painful to see your image burnt and young people being used in this way. As both a councillor and an MLA I have worked on behalf of every community in this city and I won’t be deterred by this incident or any attempt to impact on my campaign.

Earlier this week Sinn Féin’s Ciara Ferguson also urged people to respect candidate election posters in the lead up to the Assembly election.

Ciara Ferguson said: “The PSNI have informed me that several of my election posters have been removed and defaced over recent days.

“This is totally unacceptable.

“I would urge people to respect the democratic process and respect all candidate posters in the run up to this Assembly election.”