Doug Beattie: Poster of Ulster Unionist leader criticised
- Published
Doug Beattie has previously said the rallies have been used to "raise temperatures"
There has been widespread criticism of those who left a poster of Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie with a noose placed around his neck ahead of a rally against the NI Protocol.
It happened in Lurgan, County Armagh, on Friday night.
Police said they were aware of a poster which was "displayed and subsequently removed" at a rally.
There is no suggestion the organisers of Friday's protest are connected to the poster.
Mr Beattie has previously been criticised after expressing concern that rallies against the protocol were raising tensions.
'Finest men and women'
In a statement, Mr Beattie said whether it was a poster with "a double-knotted noose around my neck" or a broken window in his office he would not "be deflected from doing what is in the best interests of Northern Ireland and its people".
"Those who called me a lundy and traitor or put a double-knotted noose around my neck on a poster are not the people who stood beside me in battle," the former soldier said.
In March, Mr Beattie's constituency office in Portadown, County Armagh, was attacked.
It followed an announcement that he would no longer be attending anti-protocol rallies.
On Saturday, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: "On becoming aware of the poster, I was horrified and decided to remove it.
"Unionists are united in opposing the protocol and those sowing division should step back. "
Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Féin's Stormont leader, said there was "absolutely no place" for such incidents in politics.
She added that there was "no place in the community for such threats against public representatives, or anyone else".
Alliance leader Naomi Long said that "to see an image of anyone with a noose around their neck is utterly reprehensible and profoundly disturbing".
"My thoughts are with Doug Beattie following this sinister development," she added.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood tweeted that he was in "solidarity" with Mr Beattie.
TUV leader Jim Allister, who also helped remove the poster from sight, said: "Doug Beattie has described it as the work of mindless idiots, I agree.
"The only success of these mindless idiots is to distract attention from the great success of the rally and the very clear anti-protocol message."
What is the protocol?
The protocol is a special Brexit deal for Northern Ireland designed to prevent the return of a hard land border with the Republic of Ireland.
It was agreed between the UK government and the EU in 2019 and came into force in January 2021. It led to new checks and paperwork for certain goods which are imported into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
Many unionists strongly oppose the protocol as it created a trade border in the Irish Sea. They argue that it creates additional costs for businesses and undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
In February, the DUP withdrew Paul Givan as first minister from the Stormont Executive, citing its concern over a lack of progress made towards resolving the problems it said existed with the NI Protocol.
- Published28 March 2022
