Portrait Damage at Belfast City Hall Deemed Hate Crime

Police in Northern Ireland are treating the damage to a portrait of former DUP mayor Wallace Browne at Belfast City Hall as a hate crime. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, October 19th, involved the removal of the portrait from the wall, resulting in the smashing of the glass casing.

A Sinn Féin employee who worked at the Stormont Assembly has since resigned from the party after admitting involvement in the incident. The PSNI confirmed that their investigation into the criminal damage is ongoing.

Timeline of Events

The incident unfolded just over a week ago, following an event at Belfast City Hall celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Irish language group Glór na Móna. The group, which had no prior knowledge of the incident, has condemned the act, stating that it goes against their ethos and principles. Several senior Sinn Féin figures, including former party president Gerry Adams and junior minister Aisling Reilly, attended the commemorative event.

The damage to the portrait comes just days after the portrait of former Sinn Féin mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile was removed from Belfast City Hall by agreement. The removal followed revelations that Ó Donnghaile had sent inappropriate texts to a 16-year-old boy.

Defining Hate Crime in Northern Ireland

A hate crime in Northern Ireland is defined as an offence committed against a person because of their race, religious belief, sexual orientation, political opinion, gender identity, or disability. These crimes can range from verbal abuse and harassment to physical assault and property damage.

The PSNI takes hate crimes very seriously and encourages anyone who has been a victim of such an offence to come forward and report it.

Do you have any information about this incident? Contact the PSNI or your local authorities.