Slogan a ‘slap in the face’ for nationalists
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Annemarie Logue: call for ‘zero tolerance approach’.
SINN Fein councillor, Annemarie Logue, said last night that council funding for bonfires in Antrim could be under threat after a sectarian slogan was found hanging on the 30-foot Ballycraigy pyre on Friday.
An Irish tricolour, with the initials KAT - standing for 'Kill all Taigs' - emblazoned on it, was found on the bonfire before the council was contacted. The organisers later removed the offending flag.
Organisers of bonfires in the Antrim area have been able to apply for council funding, which could be as much as £3,000, as long as they meet certain criteria. These, said Ms Logue, included the removal of tyres and sectarian slogans.
“There should be a zero tolerance approach to such sectarian displays," she said.
“Serious questions will be asked if it turns out that there have been sectarian slogans daubed on other bonfires. I will be asking for funding to be withdrawn from any bonfires which have broken the rules.
“This is funding that is paid for by members of the nationalist community and it's just a slap in the face when something like this happens."
Ms Logue said that, as a member of the Environment Committee, she would be raising the issue with the council when more was known but said that the rules 'clearly stated that there must be no sectarian slogans whatsoever'.
Deputy Mayor, Adrian Watson - who is himself on the Bonfire Sub-Committee - said that although people did not want to see such slogans on bonfires, the people of Ballycraigy should not be penalised for the actions of one or two in the community.
