SINN Féin have slammed the "despicable" burning of a party candidate's election posters in Northern Ireland as an attack on the democratic process.
A number of signs erected by the republican party's Lisburn and Castlereagh candidate Joe Duffy were set alight in the Cutts area of Dunmurry on Tuesday evening.
Taking to Twitter last night, Mr Duffy shared a video of him at scene of one of the burnings with the caption: "Dispicable [sic] acts by idiots will not deter myself or Sinn Féin.
"If elected I will represent all of the people of North Lisburn....you have nothing to fear when it comes to equality, respect and a rights based agenda."
Dispicable acts by idiots will not deter myself or Sinn Féin. If elected I will represent all of the people of North Lisburn....you have nothing to fear when it comes to equality, respect and a rights based agenda.... pic.twitter.com/OXEGgLF9vx
— Joe Duffy Sinn Féin Representative for Lisburn (@DuffyForLisburn) 16 April 2019
In a statement on the Sinn Féin website, Mr Duffy added: "I was contacted by a local resident tonight letting me know that my election posters had been set alight in the Cutts area.
"This is a blatant attack on the democratic process and those behind this despicable act will fail.
"I will continue to work on behalf of everyone in North Lisburn and promote our message of equality, rights and Irish unity.
"Sinn Féin will not be silenced by these attacks which will only increase our determination to bring our progressive politics to voters in this council area."
Responding to the party hopeful's post, one Twitter user wrote: "I'm not a SF voter but I live in Lisburn. Theres no place for this sort of nonsense. Lisburn Council needs more diversity in its Councillor pool. Good luck with the election".
Another added: "Got my vote, seeing this makes me look forward to putting 1 in that box beside Duffy. Adh mor Seosamh!"
— Joe Duffy Sinn Féin Representative for Lisburn (@DuffyForLisburn) 16 April 2019
