Northern Ireland

Bilingual street signs stolen in south Belfast

Police said a man removed the two signs in Haypark Avenue in the Ormeau area of the city

Police in south Belfast are appealing for information following the report of criminal damage and theft of Irish language bilingual street signs in the Haypark Avenue area on Sunday 9th June. It was reported that at approximately 1.40am on Sunday morning, a man entered the area on foot, removed two signs and then walked off in the direction of Ailesbury Road. He was described as being around 5’11” tall, with short light brown hair, heavy build and was wearing a green coloured T-shirt. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Police are appealing for information following the theft of Irish language bilingual street signs in the Haypark Avenue area. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
By Suzanne McGonagle

Police are investigating after bilingual street signs were stolen in south Belfast - the fourth time they have been targeted.

It was reported that a man removed the two signs in Haypark Avenue in the Ormeau area during the early hours of Sunday.

Police in south Belfast are appealing for information following the report of criminal damage and theft of Irish language bilingual street signs in the Haypark Avenue area on Sunday 9th June. It was reported that at approximately 1.40am on Sunday morning, a man entered the area on foot, removed two signs and then walked off in the direction of Ailesbury Road. He was described as being around 5’11” tall, with short light brown hair, heavy build and was wearing a green coloured T-shirt. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Police said the signs were removed on Sunday. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN

It is being treated by police as a “sectarian motivated hate crime”.

A PSNI spokesman said: “It was reported that at approximately 1.40am on Sunday, a man entered the area on foot, removed two signs and then walked off in the direction of Ailesbury Road.”

The man is described as being around 5′11″ tall, with short light brown hair, heavy build and was wearing a green T-shirt.

Police in south Belfast are appealing for information following the report of criminal damage and theft of Irish language bilingual street signs in the Haypark Avenue area on Sunday 9th June. It was reported that at approximately 1.40am on Sunday morning, a man entered the area on foot, removed two signs and then walked off in the direction of Ailesbury Road. He was described as being around 5’11” tall, with short light brown hair, heavy build and was wearing a green coloured T-shirt. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
The signs have been targeted in previous incidents. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN

In a post on social media, Sinn Féin representative Stevie Jenkins shared photographs of the stolen signs.

He said he had reported “this hate crime” to the PSNI and Belfast City Council.

“This is yet another attack on a vibrant, tolerant and diverse community,” he added.

In March, the signs were completely removed, just a month after damage had been caused when the ends were cut off with a power tool.

In another incident in December 2023, the lettering was also scratched off.

Initially erected last October, they were taken down temporarily after a spelling mistake was spotted in the Irish language lettering.

Dual-language signage is increasing as a result of a new Belfast City Council policy that allows at least one resident of a street, or a councillor, to trigger a consultation on erecting a sign in a second language alongside English.