LOYALIST paramilitary flags have been placed in the car park of a council-owned leisure centre in east Belfast.
The UVF flags have been erected on lampposts in the car park of Avoniel Leisure Centre.
Councillors this week voted to pursue legal action to force a Stormont department to remove paramilitary flags and banners from its property, such as lampposts along public roads.
Asked about removing the UVF flags from its own property, Belfast City Council yesterday said it was a "sensitive issue".
"While the display of flags and emblems on council-owned sites is prohibited, it is a sensitive issue. We will continue to work with elected members and community representatives to try to resolve these matters," a spokeswoman said.
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A bonfire has also been built on council property at Avoniel Leisure Centre.
The council's spokeswoman said a meeting was held on Wednesday on "bonfire-related issues" and a "follow-up meeting is planned for next week".
On Monday, a majority of councillors voted to take legal action against the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in an attempt to force it to remove paramilitary flags and 'offensive' banners, such as those erected in support of former soldiers facing prosecution over Troubles killings.
UUP councillor Jim Rodgers said he is strongly opposed to paramilitary flags but voted against the motion, arguing that it is "not enforceable".
He described taking legal action against DfI while paramilitary flags fly from council-owned property as "hypocritical".
"It is hypocritical and that's what I was afraid would happen, that this decision would come back to haunt us," he said.
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"That was likely to be the case that there would be flags put up on council land, causing us embarrassment on that motion.
"You can't blame the council. You have to blame the councillors who voted for that motion that Sinn Féin put forward."
Sinn Féin east Belfast representative Mairéad O'Donnell said council facilities should be "inclusive and welcoming to everyone".
"Flags, emblems and symbols should never be used to intimidate, harass or mark out territory," she said.
"The council should remove these loyalist paramilitary flags from its property immediately."
Alliance councillor Michelle Kelly – whose party had unsuccessfully proposed amending Monday's motion to seek the removal of 'all flags' – said: "Alliance and others have been working with Belfast City Council officers on this and other contentious sites to resolve this issue and will continue to do so."
Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn said: "These UVF flags should come down. I was clear at Monday's council meeting that paramilitary flags must not be flown in any part of our city.
"I was contacted this week by a constituent about this matter. I've been in touch with the council with a view to having the flags removed."
He said the leisure centre is an "important facility for the entire community" and "people should not be intimidated".
