Sinn Féin has confirmed that a party employee has resigned following their involvement in an incident that led to a DUP portrait being damaged in Belfast City Hall.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, the party said it had notified the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) about the incident, which took place on Saturday.
It is understood a framed portrait of former DUP lord mayor Wallace Brown was damaged after it was taken off the wall at City Hall and had its glass smashed.
A Sinn Féin spokesperson said the employee, who worked in the Assembly, was “immediately suspended” after informing the party chief whip about the matter.
Southern Irish Protestants by Ian D’Alton: A work of great originality and scholarship
Euro 2025 playoff round-up: Northern Ireland and Scotland both fail to qualify
Unlikely a new government will be in place before Christmas, says Micheál Martin
Ulster 1912-1922: How the Treaty negotiators lost control of the Irish Border amid high pressure and British duplicity
“We have notified the PSNI today. The employee has now resigned from their employment and their party membership,” the spokesperson added.
Belfast City Council said it was assessing the extent of the damage and “looking into the circumstances”.
“No further action has been taken at this time,” it said.
The damage happened following an event at City Hall on Saturday evening to celebrate an Irish language group’s 20th anniversary.
Glór na Móna said it had no knowledge of the incident and only became aware after being contacted by council staff on Monday as part of an investigation.
The group said it was “extremely disappointed”.
“This is completely contrary to the ethos and principles of our organisation and the spirit of our successful anniversary celebratory event.”
The suspension of the Sinn Féin staff member comes just days after a portrait of former Sinn Féin Belfast lord mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile was removed from City Hall amid a controversy around text messages he sent to a teenage boy.
Sinn Féin vice-president and Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the removal of the portrait was “appropriate” given what she described as Mr Ó Donnghaile’s “completely inappropriate” behaviour.
On Sunday, the teenager said Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald owed him an apology for the party’s “disastrous” handling of Mr Ó Donnghaile’s resignation, the party’s leader in the Seanad at the time, last December.
During Assembly questions on Monday, Ms O’Neill told the chamber she was “deeply sorry”.
She was asked by DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley to clarify the boy’s age, after claims he was sent the messages when he was 16.
Ms O’Neill replied: “According to our records the young person was in fact, 17. That’s the records we have in our files of membership.”
She said that she was “sorry and angry” that the young person had to “endure any inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour” and that Mr Ó Donnghaile had faced consequences for his actions.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
