Councillor calls for stolen bilingual road sign to be returned

A local councillor has called for a bilingual road sign, which was stolen just days after being re-erected, to be returned.

Sinn Féín's Fergal Leonard says it is 'a sad state of affairs when someone is so intolerant and insecure that they have to remove a road sign because it contains the Irish language'.  

He has also asked unionist politicians to make a call for the sign to be returned.

He was speaking after the recently re-erected sign for Bóthar an tSleibhe Bhuí/Slieveboy Road, at its junction with Longland Road, outside Claudy, was stolen.  

This follows previous incidents of damage and theft of bi-lingual signage at this location.

Councillor Fergal Leonard said: “The theft of the signage was reported to me on Saturday afternoon by several nearby residents and members of the public expressing their disgust on social media.

“It is a sad state of affairs when someone is so intolerant and insecure that they have to attack a road sign because it contains the Irish language.

 "I have reported this matter to both the PSNI and Derry City and Strabane District Council for investigation. This is criminal damage and a hate crime and needs to be treated as such.

“I would call upon unionist politicians to condemn these actions and ask them to make a public call for the sign to be returned.”

In conclusion Cllr Leonard said: “All I and the people in this area ask is for the sign left to be left alone and for mutual respect to be shown to each other.”