Protestors expressed their disgust as Armagh Palace was lit up in the colours of the Israeli flag in an extraordinarily insensitive move on Tuesday night.
DUP Councillors voted to light up Civic buildings across Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon until next Tuesday in a so-called “sign of solidarity” … following the Hamas terror attacks on Saturday, 7 October”.
Pro-Palestinian protestors expressed their indignation in the wake of such a provocative act last night.
Marking the first night the buildings were lit up, several hundred people gathered at the Palace in Armagh to protest the decision. Crowds also gathered in Craigavon.
A motion passed by a slim majority in favour of the DUP and UUP. Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party and SDLP all voted against the proposal.
Armagh DUP Councillor Scott Armstrong condemned the attack on Tuesday night. “What happened at our council civic building in Armagh last night was a disgrace, with criminal damage being caused to council property, a Palestinian flag raised on the pole and the rope cut. These are the actions of people who show no regard for the law or council property.
“This act of clear disregard is one of embarrassment for the organisers of this protest. What happened outside the Palace Buildings was not opportunistic, but calculated. Council property has been stolen and damaged and the PSNI are treating this as a hate crime.”
One of those protesting was Sinn Fein councillor Mary O’Dowd who wrote on Facebook: “We stood tonight to send a clear signal, that the people stand in solidarity with the men, women and children of Palestine. “That we do not support the illegal and immoral occupation and bombardment of innocent civilians by Israel.
“That we condemn the killing of civilians on any side in this conflict.
“And that the lighting up of the building tonight is not in the name of the people of this area and was opposed strongly by Sinn Fein.”
