Londonderry: Vandals damage Christmas tree decorations
- Published
The council's mayor has asked people to have respect for public property
Christmas trees and their decorations have been vandalised in Londonderry.
Derry City and Strabane District Council said there had been a number of incidents of "damage to baubles and people climbing the trees".
An area of particular concern is a tree located in Guildhall Square in the centre of the city.
"Once more I am appealing to everyone to please have a bit of sense and some respect for public property," Mayor Graham Warke said.
The city is brightly lit to celebrate the festive season
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle on Monday, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor warned that if the acts of vandalism did not stop immediately, the council may be forced to barricade the trees off to the public.
"It's something that I really don't want to be seeing, but it all depends on the cost," he told the Breakfast Show.
"There are young families who are there to enjoy it, but there are certain people just spoiling it."
Mr Warke made a similar appeal earlier in December after several baubles were smashed from a tree in Guildhall Square.
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"People of this city have put in hard work to bring light and joy after a hard few years, this act of vandalism is really frustrating for everyone in the city," the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.
A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that over the weekend there "were a number of further incidents of vandalism and tampering with the Christmas trees in the city centre".
"As well as the obvious dangers, this represents criminal damage and the PSNI, Community Safety Wardens and CCTV operators are keeping a close eye on Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place in particular," they added.
The spokesperson appealed to the public to report any incidents of vandalism to the police.