Finaghy: Man afraid to leave home over anti-immigrant signs

Similar signage has been seen before in places including west Belfast, Belvoir and Newtownards

A Finaghy resident has said anti-immigrant signs in the area - including one outside his house - left him afraid to leave his home.

Takura Donald Makoni said he first saw the signs on Saturday, when he reported them to police.

The placards read: "We have had enough of undesirables and immigrants being placed into our community."

Similar signs have previously been seen in places including west Belfast, Belvoir and Newtownards.

The signs in Finaghy also say: "The time has come for locals only."

Mr Makoni, who works with the African & Caribbean Support Organisation in Northern Ireland, said he did not believe the views expressed on the signs were shared by the Finaghy community.

"I've lived in Finaghy for three years now and I feel very welcome, I have made friends with neighbours and so on," he said.

"So it is not that I felt the people around me, that I know, had these feelings about me, but you just feel weird."

The signs were placed on lampposts

He said he had been tempted to remove the signs but had "trepidation" about who was watching.

The signs remain in place four days after Mr Makoni reported them to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Police said they understood concern about "these offensive and unacceptable posters".

• Anti-immigration signage a hate incident - police

Supt Finola Dornan said there could be no excuses for the signs.

"Hate has a far-reaching and damaging impact on the whole community," she said.

"We are committed to doing everything possible to prevent incidents, support victims and pursue perpetrators.

"South Belfast Neighbourhood Policing Team has been working together across the local community and with partner agencies to secure a removal of these posters. "

She added that patrols had been stepped up in the area to "provide necessary reassurance".

A spokesperson from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said: "The Department is aware of the posters. Racist and intimidatory signs should not be erected on public infrastructure" adding that DfI will work with the PSNI to remove the signs.

A Housing Executive spokesperson said they did not believe the signs reflected the values of the local community.

"We work proactively to promote inclusivity and diversity in our homes and estates and that is why it is particularly disappointing when incidents of this nature occur," the spokesperson said.

"All our housing allocations will continue to be carried out in line with the rules of the common housing selection scheme."

Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor Donal Lyons called on the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Justice to "take action".

"I think it's absolutely disgraceful that six months on these posters, that are nothing more than racist intimidation, are still being erected across the city," he said.