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Sean Graham bookmakers memorial sprayed with paint for second time

Eve HughesBBC News NI
News imageBBC The memorial for those murdered in the Sean Graham bookmakers shooting. It is on a red brick wall with the names of the victims and photographs. To the left of the memorial there is a splatter of white paint.BBC
The memorial showing portraits have been removed and also paint from a previous incident

Portraits of those murdered in the Sean Graham bookmakers shootings have been removed from a memorial after they were damaged by spray paint.

Police have launched an investigation following damage to the memorial dedicated to those who were killed. It is being treated as a sectarian motivated offence.

Five people were murdered in the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) attack on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast in 1992. Seven other people were injured.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is investigating a potential link between Thursday's incident and a report of criminal damage at the memorial in September.

At around 04:00 BST on Thursday, a male on a bicycle spray painted the memorial plaque, causing considerable damage.

PSNI Supt Finola Dornan said: "These incidents have understandably caused real hurt and distress to bereaved families and the wider local community. We are treating this matter very seriously and a robust investigation is underway."

South Belfast SDLP councillor Gary McKeown said the incident was "a blatant act of sectarianism which is causing extreme hurt and trauma for the families of the victims".

"The Sean Graham massacre was one of the worst incidents of the Troubles, but people are being denied the right to grieve in peace with these repeated attacks. No one should have to wipe spray paint off a memorial to their loved ones."