Far-right propaganda won't sway the decent people of Ulster '“ Poots

The distributors of a leaflet in Lisburn were also condemned by the city’s deputy mayor yesterday, Alliance Party councillor Stephen Martin, for “spreading lies” .

The leaflets, which Mr Martin said were left on car windscreens outside Bow Street Mall on Saturday afternoon, claims there is an “invasion” by Muslims underway and warns of terror attacks on Belfast by jihadists.

The leaflet also refers to a ‘zionist banker’ conspiracy – something which was a hallmark of Nazi propaganda.

Mr Poots said people in Northern Ireland would not be influenced by groups such as the one behind this leaflet.

He said: “A number of these types of groups have stood for election in Northern Ireland with very limited success.

“The people of Northern Ireland are not easily influenced by these types of leaflets. The people here will assess the situation and make their own minds up based on the values of fairness and decency.”

The deputy mayor of Lisburn, Councillor Stephen Martin, said: “Everyone is entitled to express their point of view but when a group pretends to defend us all by spreading outright lies intended to divide communities, it needs condemned in the strongest possible terms.

“This propaganda needs continually challenged – nothing of what they have put into the public domain actually stands up to scrutiny. These sorts of groups are only interested in whipping up unnecessary fear to further their own agenda.

“Whoever wrote this offensive material won’t even put their own names to their propaganda.

“These anonymous cowards need challenged on their lies at every turn.”

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said: “Any literature that promotes hate is a matter for the PSNI. If this is in breach of the law, it must be investigated.”

The leaflets appear to have been distributed by a group calling themselves ‘Ulster Awake’.

Apparently referring to a Jewish conspiracy, the leaflet states: “The far left, aided by useful liberal idiots and controlled by zionist globalist bankers, continue their mission to destroy Europe and its peoples”.

It also carries a sinister message about race, stating: “We refuse to stand idly by and watch the funeral pyre of our race and nation be built with the help of our ‘so-called’ politicians, which includes much of unionism.”