A MEMORIAL to the victims of the Sean Graham bookmakers atrocity on the Ormeau Road has been defaced with paint overnight.
Five Catholic men and boys were killed in a loyalist gun attack on the bookmakers in February 1992. Nine others were injured. Those who died were Christy Doherty (52), Jack Duffin (66), James Kennedy (15), Peter Magee (18) and William McManus (54).
Billy McManus, whose father William was murdered in the atrocity, described the attack on the memorial in Hatfield Street as "hateful and hurtful".
"I got a call after 8am to say the memorial had paint thrown over it. Councillor Conor McKay was walking past and he phoned the police who are treating it as a hate crime," he explained.
Relatives of the victims of the atrocity
"It is absolutely hateful. I am just wondering why? It was definitely orchestrated and planned.
"This is a memorial to the victims. It is very hurtful. I wouldn't like this to happen to any memorial of anyone who lost their life during the conflict. It is of no benefit to anybody.
"The PSNI are on to it now so hopefully those responsible will be caught."
Mark Thompson from Relatives for Justice said: "This attack on Sean Grahams Memorial on the Ormeau Road needs to be seen in the context of escalating rhetoric from political unionism regarding Orange marches.
Mark Thompson
"Families and injured waking up to this deliberate attack on their loved ones’ memory. This community has suffered enough."
South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey MLA condemned the attack.
"The attack on the memorial for those who were murdered in the Sean Graham's bookies atrocity is absolutely callous and has caused great distress to families," she said.
"This has taken place at a time of heightened tensions that have been created by those who want to drag us backwards 25 years and now families who have already suffered huge trauma are being retraumatised.
"Memorials for those who have been killed are sacrosanct and should be respected by everyone.
"This is a clear hate crime and we have reported it to the PSNI, anyone with information should bring it forward to the police."
