It is “long past time” for flags erected outside Newry Police Station during an April parade to be taken down.
That’s the view of Sinn Féin councillor Geraldine Kearns who said the flags, which were put up as part of a march through Newry on April 17, remain in place at the entrance to the station more than six weeks later.
She described their continued presence as inappropriate at a public facility intended to serve the whole community.
“Police stations are used by everyone in our community and should be open and welcoming places. The erection of these flags, right at the entrance of the station, sends a very different message to the community in Newry,” she said.
Cllr Kearns added that the matter has been repeatedly raised by Sinn Féin locally with a number of bodies.
“Our local Sinn Féin team has raised this issue directly with the PSNI, with the Policing and Community Safety Partnership and with the Department of Infrastructure.
“There is clear local community support for their removal. Numerous residents have contacted us asking for this to be done. Given that the march passed several weeks ago, it is long past time for these flags to be removed from the vicinity of the police station.”
