Do republicans not think their murals hurt or divide people?

The meeting was convened by Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran Beattie in response to a number of paramilitary flags and ‘Soldier F’ banners being erected across Belfast.

Surely, and in the interest of equality, this motion should include all IRA (terrorist) memorials built on public land or NIHE land (with or without planning permission).

These should be demolished and removed.

It should also include the removal of all painted murals glorifying, recruiting or supporting terrorist organisations.

If we are talking about equality and in the interest of innocent victims, remember councillor Ciaran Beattie said the banners and flags in question are being used “to divide, offend and cause hurt to victims”.

It should also include the removal of all IRA flags and tricolours.

Soldier F may face prosecution for murder and attempted murder on Bloody Sunday but in our judicial system, a person is innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Flags in support of the former paratrooper have been put up throughout Northern Ireland and until such time as Soldier F is found to be guilty, then they have every right to remain in place.

At the meeting, councillor Beattie stated that “paramilitary flags and banners supporting British regiments are being used to divide, offend and cause hurt to victims”.

What does he think IRA memorials, murals, flags and parades in support of IRA terrorists do to innocent victims?

Sinn Fein hypocrisy knows no bounds.

All our Unionist politicians, actually all politicians that know the difference between right and wrong, should be calling for this motion to be extended to include all murals, memorials, IRA flags and tricolours.

It’s the about time our politicians, all our politicians, stopped turning a blind eye to IRA glorification and started putting innocent victims of terrorism first.

John Brennan, Ballygowan