Latest news with #GaryMcKeown
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Belfast: Mary Ann McCracken statue damaged in suspected vandalism
A statue of anti-slavery campaigner Mary Ann McCracken at the front of Belfast City Hall has been damaged in a suspected act of vandalism. The Irish language section of the four plaques at the base of the statue was left partially torn on Friday morning. The damaged plaque has since been removed, and Belfast City Council say the incident "will be looked into" and the plaque "replaced as soon as possible".The statue was unveiled on International Women's Day in 2024 alongside a statue of suffragist and trade unionist Winifred Carney. 'Disgusting' Belfast SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown condemned the attack on the statue and called for an investigation into the incident. "The vandalism of the Mary Ann McCracken statue is disgusting and will appal people right across Belfast and beyond," he said. "Belfast has an embarrassingly low number of statues dedicated to women, so the unveiling of this one in the grounds of City Hall last year was particularly welcome and I was delighted to be in attendance. He added that it is "notable that it was an Irish language section on the statue that was targeted" which he said shows more intolerance. Who was Mary Ann McCracken? Mary Ann McCracken was born into a middle-class Presbyterian family in 1770 and was one of seven father was a sea captain and her grandfather set up the News Letter, the world's oldest English-language daily went to school with boys and girls - which was unusual at the time - and was heavily involved in the Belfast Charitable Society and Poor House which her family helped to set was a supporter of the United Irishmen, a group that was co-founded by her brother Henry Joy McCracken. He was later executed in 1798 for his role in the failed rebellion. She campaigned all her life to end slavery as an active member of the Belfast Ladies Anti-Slavery Association, even refusing to eat sugar as it was a product of the slave trade and West Indies until her late 80s, she could be found in Belfast's docks where she warned emigrants bound for the United States about died in July 1866 at the age of 96, but her grave remained unmarked until 1909 when her name and the inscription Díleas go h-éag, or Faithful Until Death, was added.
The Journal
16-06-2025
- The Journal
Five more people arrested over public disorder in Northern Ireland, including 13-year-old girl
POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland say they have arrested another five people, including a 13-year-old girl, in relation to a string of racially motivated riots that began in Ballymena last week. A vigil held in response to the alleged sexual assault of a girl in the area descended into chaos last Monday after people learned the suspects – two teenage boys – needed a Romanian translator when they appeared in court. What followed has been nightly violence in a number of locations which have seen the homes of immigrants attacked, vandalised and set on fire. The five new arrests bring the total number of suspects detained to 28 and the PSNI said today there would be 'more to come'. One of the five is a man police arrested in relation to an arson attack at a leisure centre in Larne. A PSNI spokesperson said the man, aged 25, was arrested following a house search in Larne at the weekend. Another person arrested is a 13-year-old girl, who has been charged with riot by officers investigating disorder in Ballymena last Wednesday. A 40-year-old man has also been charged with riot following the first night of the disorder in Ballymena on Monday last week. A 33-year-old woman has also been charged with child cruelty relating to the disorder. Advertisement Meanwhile, detectives investigating online posts relating to recent public disorder have charged a 32-year-old man with 'sending menacing messages through a public electronic communications network and with encouraging or assisting offences believing one or more will be committed'. He is also charged with possession of a class B controlled drug. Elsewhere, Graffiti in Bangor and on an unoccupied house in Chadwick Street in south Belfast are being investigated as race-motivated hate crimes, police said. SDLP councillor Gary McKeown condemnded the graffiti spray-painted on the Belfast home as 'racist'. 'Racist attacks like this have no place in our society and do nothing but instil fear in communities,' McKeown said. 'Over the past week we have seen mindless violence wreaking havoc, creating terror and forcing people from their homes. 'I know there are many families from ethnic minority communities who are terrified even to let their children go to school for fear that they might get attacked. The impact on people's wellbeing is indescribable. 'After the riots in South Belfast last summer, the last thing this area needs is for the most recent outbreak of violence to spread here. I would urge anyone in a position of influence over those engaged in this behaviour to get them to stop.' 'Everyone deserves to feel safe' Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: 'Our heightened presence in our local communities and continued community engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night, thankfully, similar to Saturday, the situation was much calmer. 'I issued a public plea to parent/guardians and families of young people who have been driving the criminal activity in some areas to warn them of the serious consequences of their actions. I am asking for continued conversations amongst local families to deter young people from criminalising themselves.' Jones said senior members of the PSNI have been meeting with local community representatives of those affected over the weekend 'so we can support them as best we can and offer reassurance of our policing operation to restore calm'. 'Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets,' she said. 'Thankfully, none of our officers policing this disorder reported being injured on duty last night,' she said, adding that 64 officers are currently recovering from injuries. The PSNI has released images of suspects and asked for the public's help in identifying them. 'If you are able to identify any of the people shown in these images or can provide information about them you should contact us on 101 or on our major incident portal, which is accessible on our website,' Jones said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Belfast Telegraph
16-06-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Graffiti daubed on Belfast home targeting Romanian community condemned as police probe ‘hate-motivated criminal damage'
The house off the Lisburn Road in Chadwick Street had black writing painted over the front of the property which said 'out Romenian [sic]', with paint also placed over the front windows. Police said they were alerted to the incident on Sunday afternoon but said they believed the home was targeted 'sometime before the report was made'. The incident comes on the back of disorder and racist rioting across Northern Ireland last week which was sparked following an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena. The two 14-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged with attempted rape at Coleraine Magistrates Court. They spoke through a Romanian interpreter. The graffiti in Belfast has been condemned by local SDLP councillor Gary McKeown. "Racist attacks like this have no place in our society and do nothing but instil fear in communities,' he said. "Over the past week we have seen mindless violence wreaking havoc, creating terror and forcing people from their homes. "I know there are many families from ethnic minority communities who are terrified even to let their children go to school for fear that they might get attacked. The impact on people's wellbeing is indescribable. "After the riots in South Belfast last summer, the last thing this area needs is for the most recent outbreak of violence to spread here. I would urge anyone in a position of influence over those engaged in this behaviour to get them to stop." A PSNI spokesperson said: 'Police are investigating a report of criminal damage at a house in the Chadwick Street area of south Belfast. 'A report was received at approximately 12.35pm on Sunday, 15th June that graffiti had been daubed on a property. 'We believe the damage, however, was caused sometime before the report was made to police. 'Black paint was used to cover the front wall, downstairs front windows and front door of the house. 'This report is being treated as hate-motivated criminal damage, and we would ask anyone with any information regarding what happened to contact police on 101 and quote reference number 619 15/06/25.'
Belfast Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
DUP and Sinn Fein U-turn over support for festivals at popular Belfast park after backlash from locals
It concerns two events due to be held at Botanic Gardens this summer. Last month Sinn Fein and the DUP pushed through a decision during a committee debate behind closed doors and away from the public and press. They agreed to two applications for hosting events in Botanic Gardens in June and July. The Green Party, backed by the SDLP, unsuccessfully proposed declining the requests, with seven councillors backing them and 13 against. The two festivals would have taken away use of the great lawn, where people gather in good weather, for 35 days during the summer. The first request was submitted by CRD Live, seeking to host the 'Botanic Summer Sessions' which would have consisted of three music concerts on June 26, 27 and 28. The second request had been received from JKS for a 'Fire and Food BBQ Festival' from July 17 to 27. However, at the full monthly meeting of Belfast City Council this week, both Sinn Fein and the DUP appeared to have changed their positions on the requests. At the start of the meeting, the council agreed to receive a deputation from a representative for the Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association. He told the chamber it was 'surprising and dismaying' that the applications had been approved. Later, SDLP councillor Gary McKeown proposed not allowing the two requests to use Botanic Gardens this summer. He said: 'No one has any objection in principle to Botanic Gardens being used for events, and for years many successful events have indeed been taking place there, from the Mela to family fun days and fairs. However, it is not primarily an events venue, nor is it a commercial facility. 'First and foremost it is a botanical garden, laid out and maintained for the people of Belfast, and it hosts many types of wildlife. This must remain its core purpose. 'These proposals, when taken together, would effectively close off the great lawn from public access for 35 days at the height of summer, denying people the ability to enjoy it at precisely the time when it is in greatest demand. 'This part of Botanic Gardens is an iconic location in the city that draws in hundreds of people daily across the summer, and often when good weather is reported in the media, it is the crowds enjoying the sun on the great lawn. It is not acceptable that people could be excluded from such a central location for such an extended period. 'These were opportunistic applications that were submitted after other events were cancelled, so there is no existing relationship between the promoters and the council, or this venue, that could establish any presumption that approval could be anticipated.' Green councillor Áine Groogan seconded the proposal. She said in the chamber: 'Open green space is limited enough in our city. This is a lifeline to local families and local communities, and to close off such huge areas of the park for exclusive use is not a decision we should ever take lightly. It should never be a decision we are bounced into, which I feel is the case in this instance.' 'These types of events need particularly long run-ins, they need community conversations and consultation, they need to basically show they are able, and have the experience to carry out events of this nature without causing any negative impact. 'The reality is the length of time we have before us does not allow for that to happen properly. If these were coming in a year in advance, there would have been time maybe to get to grips with some of these issues.' SInn Féin councillor Conor McKay said at the meeting: 'Reflecting on the correspondence we have had from constituents, and (the representative) speaking on behalf of Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association, we would like to say we will be voting for the (SDLP) proposal.' DUP Councillor Tracy Kelly said at the meeting: 'We will be supporting the (SDLP) proposal. As a Botanic councillor, I often say if you look at our district electoral area from the sky, it is a concrete jungle, and there is very little green space. So to take away the field for that amount of time is unacceptable. 'I also think we need to remember that we have very few parks in and around Belfast that people have access to. A lot of the people I represent just have back yards, with little or no grass or green space near them.' The proposal to reverse the committee decision was unanimously agreed by the chamber, without going to a vote.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Belfast: Councillors call for clamp down on dog fouling
There are calls for a clampdown on dog-fouling in Belfast after more than 1,000 complaints last year but relatively few 10 fixed penalty notices have been issued since April 2023, according to the latest figures released by Belfast City councillor Ruth Brooks said "the system is broken" while SDLP councillor Gary McKeown called for a "fundamental review" of the city's strategy to tackle compared avoiding dog mess in parts of Belfast to facing an obstacle course in the TV programme The Krypton Factor. 'Absolutely disgusting' McKeown told the monthly meeting of Belfast City Council: "It's a health hazard, it's an environmental hazard and at a very basic level, it's absolutely disgusting. I am sick listening about it."I see children treading it in on their way to school or out for a walk with their parents - it's not good enough."I'm embarrassed having to go back to people saying 'I'm sorry to hear about that, that's disgusting'." Figures obtained by Brooks, after a freedom of information request to Belfast City Council, showed that there were 1,172 complaints about dog-fouling last year but, at most, 10 fines handed called for more "pro-active enforcement" of existing measures to tackle said some community events in east Belfast had been cancelled because parkland areas had so much dog council has 12 full-time dog warden posts, and park wardens are also authorised to tackle fine is currently £80, reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days.A number of councillors, including the Alliance Party's Jenna Maghie, have said that higher fines should be is understood that a maximum of £200 could be have been discussed before but not agreed. 'Catch themselves on' Sinn Féin councillor Claire Canavan pointed out that the problem is being caused by a "small minority who aren't picking up after their dogs"."People need to catch themselves on," she praised the council cleansing staff who pick up the mess that dog owners leave four largest parties on the council all raised the dog fouling issue at Tuesday evening's meeting of the full 60-member People and Communities Committee at City Hall plans to discuss the matter again later this month. Sharon Vennard, 41, lives in south Belfast with her husband and two young is becoming increasingly frustrated with the dog fouling on the family's daily walk to school which she says is a "huge issue" in the area."Recently my two-year-old came out of a shop in our local area and tripped and fell right into dog poo. "I was very concerned he would get it in his eye and it was very upsetting for him."I walk my older child to school and there have been occasions he has walked through dog poo – and has had to wear his PE shoes and his classroom assistant has had to hose his shoes down which is very embarrassing for a child." Ms Vennard said she had complained to the council twice and was told there would be more wardens in the area."But my problem is that if someone sees a warden they will lift their dog poo as they are afraid of getting caught," she said."It's more trying to catch people out who are repeat offenders who are taking their dog for a walk in cover of darkness and are not responsible dog owners or turning their back and pretending not to notice. "It gets to the stage when it's about the health and safety of children and it's very serious."
