Rathcoole: Police ‘intervene’ to remove anti-immigration posters

Some other anti-immigration posters remain on poles in parts of the estate.

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster about the remaining posters, Mr Singleton said: “I don’t consider them as acceptable, but whether they are criminal is another assessment again.

“This is one of the challenges that we have whenever you see material that is perhaps not just as clear cut or offensive.

“Where it may be viewed as abhorrent to some, you do potentially have freedom of speech considerations engaged as well and that’s why you have to view every single incident on its own merit.”

He said that posters were only able to be removed because of where they were placed on lampposts at “waist and head height”.

The senior police officer said that “police officers aren’t routinely trained and equipped” to remove material that would have been placed higher up on electricity poles or on buildings.

He said that he wanted an urgent meeting with the department and other landowners to discuss the issue.

“We have been dealing with these types of issues from the turn of the year when we have seen a number of these issues present themselves in housing estates across Northern Ireland, but in this occasion it took too long and we need to fix that.”

Democratic Unionist Party MLA Philip Brett told BBC News NI that the police with the support of political representatives had removed the posters.

“We trust that this is the end of the issue,” he said.

“The Muslim community make an important impact in north Belfast and right across Northern Ireland.

“The message from the people of Rathcoole, north Belfast and Northern Ireland has been clear that these people are welcome in our community and those posters are not.”

The Department for Infrastructure has been asked for a response.