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Sectarian graffiti targeting James Nesbitt labelled 'shocking and appalling'

Graffiti targeting actor James Nesbitt has appeared in Portrush.
Graffiti targeting actor James Nesbitt has appeared in Portrush. Graffiti targeting actor James Nesbitt has appeared in Portrush.

SECTARIAN graffiti appearing on the north coast targeting actor James Nesbitt has been condemned as "appalling".

The graffiti appeared on a wall in Portrush on Wednesday, showing a crosshair image beside the Coleraine-born Bloodlands star's name.

Also scrawled on the wall, located close to a property owned by Mr Nesbitt, was the slogan "1 x king 1 x crown no pope in our town".

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “Police in Coleraine received a report of graffiti on a wall in the Bushmills Road area of Portrush on Wednesday 19th October.

“The graffiti is believed to have been written on the wall some time between 5pm on Tuesday and 7.30pm on Wednesday evening and is being treated as a hate crime.”

Officers have asked anyone with information to come forward.

The threatening graffiti appeared following the former Cold Feet actor's appearance and keynote speech at the Ireland's Future event in Dublin at the end of last month.

The rally, which supports Irish unity and featured appearances from figures including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, saw Mr Nesbitt speak of supporting a "new union of Ireland", where those of a Protestant background would feel welcome.

"I know many northern Protestants are open to this," he told the crowd at the 3Arena.

Among those to condemn the graffiti was QUB Professor of Human Rights and Ireland's Future campaigner Colin Harvey.

"The targeting of James Nesbitt is absolutely shocking and appalling," he said in a tweet last night.

"It must be unequivocally condemned across the civic and political board in the strongest possible terms."

He added in another post: "Thugs and threats must not be permitted to derail legitimate and respectful constitutional conversations here. Solidarity with James Nesbitt."

Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald called the graffiti "disgusting". She labelled it "an attack on the right to freedom of expression", adding: "Political leaders should stand shoulder to shoulder in opposition to these threats."

East Derry MLA Ms Hunter said: “This attempt to shut down conversation around our constitutional future is a sinister development and I am glad to see it has been condemned by those right across the political spectrum. Everyone is free to express their own opinion on the future of these islands, but they do not have the right to intimidate anyone else simply for engaging in the debate.

“If we are truly going to build a shared future then we need a wide range of voices contributing to make that possible. Nobody should feel they are unable to take part in that discussion because of incidents like this. I would encourage anyone with any information about what happened here to come forward to police and express my full solidarity with Mr Nesbitt following this incident.”

Causeway Coast DUP councillor John McAuley told the Irish News: "I would condemn this completely. There is absolutely no justification for this kind of act of intimidation."