A SINN FÉIN Councillor has described a flag that appeared in the Woodside area of Poleglass in recent days as “completely barbaric".
The flag, which has since been removed, was reportedly erected by dissident republican group the Continuity IRA and featured images of paramilitary style “punishment” shootings alongside the message “drugs kill, drug dealers beware – we don’t warn, we remove!”
Responding to the erection of the flag, Cllr Stephen Magennis said: “Making any kind of threat like this isn’t going to deal with the drugs problem. This can only be solved by the community coming together and the only people who can deal with drug dealers are the police so if anyone has any information then it should be passed to them.
“We have a good community safety network in this area who deal with all kinds of anti-social behaviour including drug dealing and that is the only way that it should be dealt with.
“I don’t know who in their right mind would put something like this flag up. It is absolutely barbaric. The community do not support punishment attacks in the area which this flag is implying,” he continued.
Cllr Magennis added: “We have issues all over Belfast regarding flags at the minute and to see this in our own area is absolutely disgraceful.
“It is absolutely horrific that anyone would think that it would be alright to put anything like that on a lamppost and I am glad that it has been removed."
“Our community have moved on from things like this and these people do not have their support.
“All threats to the community must be condemned.”
