Police are treating the banner as a hate crime
On Friday, a banner was hung above Northern Irish motorway with the message “No Irish No Gay.”
The banner, which was hung between Lurgan and Moira in Northern Ireland, is being treated as a hate crime.
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"The matter is being treated as a hate incident with a racial and homophobic motive," said a PSNI spokeswoman.
Banner over the M1 motorway up north that states 'No Irish, No Gay(s)'. The toxic loyalist sectarianism and homophobia has no place on this island #DUPbigots pic.twitter.com/V340ImdOZ5
— Fintan (@Fintaann) October 19, 2018
In response to the incident, Sinn Fein MLA for South Antrim Declan Kearney slammed the act as reprehensible.
“It is reprehensible in this day and age that someone would erect such a sign. However, it is not surprising. This racist and homophobic action is a direct consequence of the failure in leadership specifically within the DUP, and political unionism more generally.
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“Over the summer the largest, most vibrant, colorful Pride parades took place across Ireland, and thousands of people have also taken to the streets in support of Acht Gaelige.
“This sent a clear message that the tide is changing.
“The majority of MLAs and people in the north support marriage equality and language rights being extended to the north. They are fed up to the back teeth with this sort of vile bigotry and intolerance.
“If the DUP and others will not end their denial of rights, then the Irish and British governments must act to deliver on citizens’ rights in this state. The denial of parity of esteem to Irish citizens in the north and equality for the LGBT community should be addressed as a priority at the next meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
“I have reported this sign as a hate crime to the PSNI and called for its immediate removal.”
The banner has since been removed as police continue to investigate the matter.
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