Orange halls in graffiti attack

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7564258.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The Orange Order has condemned those involved in a series of attacks on its lodges in County Armagh.

Graffiti and political slogans were daubed on five buildings in the early hours of Friday.

Orange Order spokesman Roy Pillow described the graffiti as "very offensive and disgusting towards the Orange institution".

The slogans were painted on halls at Ballyreagh, Tamnaghill, Tassagh, Crosskeys and Aghavilly.

Mr Pillow said: "I would ask those that have influence within their own community to condemn these people in the strongest possible terms."

SDLP councillor Thomas O'Hanlon said the damage "was not just opportunist sectarian vandalism," but was also "planned and clearly politically motivated".

"It is absolutely sickening that on a day when we are commemorating the dead of Omagh, there are those who prefer to daub slogans abusing their neighbours and aligning themselves with the people who carried out that atrocity," he said.

He said those responsible must be made answerable to the courts.

"They are a tiny group who want to stir up trouble with their neighbours but they cannot be ignored or tolerated," he said.