Vandalised portrait of former DUP mayor reinstated - but no developments in police 'hate crime' investigation
A vandalised portrait of a former DUP mayor has been reinstated in Belfast City Hall – but over two weeks after a man “voluntarily attended” a police interview about the incident, charges are yet to be brought.
The painting of Lord Wallace Browne – created by a Jewish artist – was replaced after “minor repair works”.
In November, a man was questioned by police over the incident, which is still being treated as a hate crime, police say.
A Sinn Fein employee resigned from the party over the incident, which took place on October 19th during an Irish language charity event in City Hall, organised by west Belfast Irish language group Glor Na Mona.
The group denied any knowledge of the vandalism at the time, and has condemned it.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill told the Assembly in October that a Sinn Fein employee, who worked in the Assembly, had “made the party chief whip aware of their involvement”.
It was later reported in the Irish News that person is the son of a Sinn Fein MLA. The damaged artwork was created by the painter Israel Zohar, who has been described as a “renowned Jewish artist”.
Michelle O'Neill’s statement on the issue came amid a string of political scandals to hit Sinn Fein, and was yet another embarrassing issue the First Minister had to address in the Assembly.
She had told MLAs that “a Sinn Fein employee who worked in the Assembly made the party chief whip aware of their involvement in an incident regarding a portrait in Belfast City Hall.
“This took place on Saturday October 19. The employee was immediately suspended and we notified the PSNI.
“The employee has now resigned from their employment and their party membership”.
A police spokesperson previously told the News Letter that “one man attended voluntarily for interview in relation to this incident” on Tuesday 19th November. They added: “Our enquiries are continuing and we continue to engage with Belfast City Council. Police would encourage anyone with any information to contact police on 101 and quote reference number 1194 21/10/24”. Police say they are continuing to investigate the “criminal damage”.