Graffiti in Portrush targeting actor James Nesbitt is being treated as a hate crime, say the police
James Nesbitt, who is from a unionist background, addressed the Ireland's Future event in Dublin this monthThe graffiti, written on a wall on Bushmills Road in Portrush, County Londonderry, featured a message mentioning the actor and had a crosshair painted next to it.
Politicians have condemned the message and have described it as an attempt to intimidate and stifle debate.The Democratic Unionist Party politician Gregory Campbell said: "Jimmy Nesbitt is a local lad who has invested in his own community. "Those painting threatening graffiti such as this should stop," said the MP, in whose East Londonderry constituency the graffiti was daubed."I fundamentally disagree with Mr Nesbitt's position on Northern Ireland's future but he has every right to express his political views in whatever forum he wishes.
Caoimhe Archibald, a Sinn Féin assembly member for East Londonderry, said the graffiti was a "sinister effort to silence debate" and she called for those behind it to be held accountable. The SDLP's Cara Hunter, who also represents the constituency, described the graffiti as "absolutely disgraceful".Police believe the graffiti was written on the wall sometime between 17:00 BST on Tuesday and 19:30 BST on Wednesday.
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