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Larne Port staff withdrawn over concerns for safety and welfare

Graffiti in Larne
Graffiti in Larne Graffiti in Larne

Local council staff at Larne Port in Northern Ireland are being withdrawn from inspection duties over concerns for their safety and welfare.

In a statement Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the decision was made following an upsurge in “sinister and menacing behaviour” in recent weeks, including the appearance of graffiti within the local area referencing increasing tensions around the Northern Ireland Protocol and describing port staff as “targets”.

The graffiti was spray painted on a wall in the harbour area of the town, saying, 'all border post staff are targets'.

One local councillor described it as "very disturbing" while DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said it "harks back to days when other public officials and members of the security forces were targeted".

Brexit Operational Readiness bosses last week sent out an internal memo assuring port staff that the PSNI and Stormont's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs were investigating.