RESPONSES around the removal of Israeli flags on lampposts in the Omagh area have left councillors disappointed, as the items in question aren’t illegal according to PSNI.
This is something of a shift in position around the stance on contentious emblems whereby it was felt removal by a public agency would cause community tensions.
The Council wrote to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the PSNI last month after Alliance Councillor Stephen Donnelly raised concerns over the erection of Israeli flags on lampposts due to “territorial demarcation”.
He referred to “a sluggishness to even engage in a process around the removal of items of this nature”.
“There is a real perception that anybody can put up anything on a lamppost and it won’t come down. Essentially there is just a free rein where people can engage in criminal activity.
“This is playing out on lampposts in our community where chill factors are created because of a sense of trying to assert a particular political land-grab on particular areas.”
Members voted by majority to write to DfI Western Division and PSNI asking for the matter to be property looked at.
The responses came before the most recent meeting where Councillor Donnelly said the PSNI reply indicated either: “Misunderstanding or an attack of a strawman argument. They reference the flags are not illegal but at no stage was that ever the case we made. As far as I’m aware there’s no such thing as an illegal national flag.
“The point is the manner the flags are abused in such a way to result in the politicisation and tribalisation of public space. The point they enforce is irrelevant when we consider the response from DfI which makes it clear that they consulted the PSNI and the reason why action was not forthcoming. It was the result of a determination (PSNI) made that removal shouldn’t go ahead because it would raise community tensions.”
He continued: “This is problematic because whether or not the flag or signage is illegal is irrelevant If you cannot remove an Israeli flag, then there’s no hope for the removal of anything else where symbols are abused.
Councillor Donnelly encouraged the public to engage constructively because: “There is a clear wish to have all space treated as shared space, respecting all people and the diversion within this society.”
Agreeing with this Sinn Féin’s Councillor Dermott Browne said: “This is clearly a very sensitive issue and it’s been in the media for some time for good reason. It is contentious. “Essentially, it’s to level the playing field so that everyone has an equal and fair chance of expressing their views.”
He concluded: “I hope we can get to a place where we can deal with these sensitive issues in a positive way, and bring equality to them.”
To read more on this story see this week’s Fermanagh Herald. Can’t get to the shop to collect your copy? No problem! You can download a copy straight to your device by following this link… Subscribe to current edition
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere