A DUP councillor has compared the rights of Irish language speakers to those of 35 Orangemen attempting to march down the Garvaghy Road.
At Monday night's full Belfast City Council meeting DUP group leader Councillor Sarah Bunting proposed not proceeding with dual-language street signage in Sicily Park in Finaghy.
Out of the surveyed residents, 120 opposed the dual-language signs and 96 supported them (roughly 34 per cent opposed and 27 per cent in favour).
Despite more individual respondents voting against the signs than for them, the application cleared the council's policy threshold of 15 per cent resident support – which is in line with European Best Practice for a minority language.
Councillor Bunting called for Council not to proceed with dual-language signage in the street and said there was a need to "listen" to Sicily Park residents.
"More residents voted against these signs than for them," she said. "We are repeatedly told this policy is about respect but respect must extend to residents who do not want the street signage changed.
"Community relations cannot be an afterthought and pressing ahead when most residents oppose it risks damaging community relations, deepening division and risks undermining confidence in the Council's consultation process.
"The DUP's back to basics approach is about prioritising what residents want which is clean streets, reliable bin collections and well-maintained parks. Spending money on signage which more residents have voted against is hard to justify."
Alliance councillor Tara Brooks said their party policy was when more people vote against street signs than for them, then they do not support the signage.
Sinn Féin group leader Ciarán Beattie said it was "ironic" the DUP and Alliance supported an Ulster Scots sign in Ravenscroft Avenue in East Belfast which got 17 per cent and yet Sicily Park got 31 per cent support.
Sinn Féin Councillor Tomás Ó Néill said: "The whole point of this policy and the threshold is to increase visibility of the language and if you want to normalise it, it has to be seen and heard."
DUP Alderman Dean McCullough described Belfast City Council as the "most hypocritical chamber in Western Europe".
"This is the Alliance party that said to the 35 Orangemen in Portadown you have your rights but don't exercise them. Would you say that to an Irish language speaker?
"And then to the party of roadblocking, because the first sign of an elderly Orangeman with a sash on, there is a double decker on the Falls Road waiting to bus people so many miles to be offended."
A vote on not to proceed with dual-language street signage in Sicily Park was lost with 23 votes for, 29 against and one no vote.
