CONCERNS have been raised after posters threatening “a return to violence” appeared at the interface gates on Lanark Way in West Belfast.
Posters were erected at the gates which divide the nationalist Springfield Road and the loyalist Shankill Road, with a picture of the newly installed Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with a chilling background image of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings.
The posters have appeared in various location across the North, with the message: ‘The possibility of a return to violence is very real’ and ‘Peace or Protocol? It’s your decision.’
Posters have been plastered along Lanark Way including on the rear gable wall of St Clare’s Primary School.
Condemning the posters Robert McClenaghan from Falls Residents' Association said: “The last thing that we want to see is people threatening a return to any sort of violence in relation to the protocol or anything else.
“There are ways and means of dealing with these issues without a recourse of some sort of violence – especially at the interface gates.
Robert stressed his disappointment at seeing the posters threatening violence and urged communities to continue building bridges for peace and reconciliation.
“I think it was very saddening and disheartening to see the posters being put up in the first place.
The posters have been erected in various locations including West Belfast
“We organised a cross community carol service on the 8th of December to bring the people of the Falls and the Shankill together between the gates of Northumberland Street.
“It would be my hope that we keep talking and we keep working and keep trying to bring peace and reconciliation for those of us who work around the issues between the interface gates between the Falls and the Shankill.
"I can only speak on behalf of the Falls Residents' Association, but we would be totally in favour of building bridges between the Falls and the Shankill and not animosity or threatening violence. We have an open invite to all those who truly believe in peace and reconciliation between our Falls and Shankill neighbours. That has been our total ambition for the past 30 years.”
Inspector Matson of the PSNI stated: “Police are aware of posters that have recently been erected in the Lanark Way and Cupar Street areas of West Belfast. Enquiries are currently ongoing, and we would appeal to anyone with information about these posters to call police on 101."
