There have been calls for anti-immigrant graffiti to be removed from a well-known loyalist mural in north Belfast.
The call to remove the “stop the boats” slogan comes in the same week 12 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, lost their lives trying to cross the English channel.
The phrase appears on a mural that also carries the words “Loyalist Tigersbay” - referring to the unionist area in north Belfast - and is just yards from a separate tribute to King Charles, which has been painted on a nearby wall.
Earlier this week 12 people, including 10 women and children, died when their boat sank while trying to make the treacherous channel crossing between France and Britain.
Before Tuesday’s tragedy, 30 people had already died crossing the channel’s dangerous waters this year.
The call for the message to be removed also comes just days after a sign was put on display in a loyalist village in Co Tyrone.
Concerns were raised after the signage, which was later removed by police, appeared at a roadside in Moygashel, near Dungannon, stating “No illegal immigrants for 1 mile”, along with an image of a small boat full of people.
The appearance of the sign comes as the number of racist attacks has rocketed across the north.
Anti-immigration and race-hate riots erupted in loyalist areas of Belfast last month.
Earlier this week, Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said police are looking at “the potential involvement of individuals associated with paramilitarism” in the recent protests and disorder.
SDLP councillor Carl Whyte said it is “sadly no surprise to see the phrase ‘stop the boats’ on a loyalist mural in north Belfast given recent racist riots across Belfast”.
“The historical links between loyalist paramilitaries and far-right groups in England are well known and those who are responsible for recent racist riots and attacks bring nothing but shame to our city,” he said.
“The people who paint these slogans and hold these views do not represent the people of Belfast; we have welcomed migrants to our city for well over a century and will continue to do so.”
Mr Whyte said the slogan should now be removed.
“Given that just this week, 12 people including six children and a pregnant woman, died in a boat crossing the English Channel, the heartlessness of this slogan is particularly galling and it should be removed immediately,” he added.
