Businesses in Co Tyrone have been targeted by a bizarre campaign encouraging a boycott of shops in a town due to a row over union flags.
Around 30 flags were placed on lampposts in Castlederg in September for the annual Castlederg Young Loyalists Flute Band parade, but have remained since, causing tension.
Efforts to have the flags removed in the run up to Christmas have failed, with a Sinn Féin councillor highlighting the issue in Derry and Strabane City Council this week.
Now, a campaign to discourage people from visiting in the run up to Christmas until the flags are removed has hit Castlederg.
A sign has been erected by an unnamed group, calling for a “full boycott of all businesses”.
The sign states: “We have nothing against Protestant culture, but the way our town looks is unacceptable. We understand that it is a minority that is behind the erecting of flags, respect goes both ways.
“So from Friday 29 November, we call for a full boycott of all businesses in Castlederg and surrounding areas and also a boycott of all religious ceremonies over Christmas in the town centre.”
Sinn Féin MLA Maolíosa McHugh has said the erection of a sign calling for the boycott of local businesses and religious ceremonies in Castlederg is disgraceful.
The West Tyrone MLA said: “The sign erected and addressed to the people of Castlederg and Aghyaran is absolutely disgraceful, and I want to fully condemn whoever is behind it.
“Those who erected this offensive sign, whatever their motivation, should immediately remove it and end their anti-community behaviour.”
Mr McHugh also called for the removal of flags from the town centre, which she described as a shared space.
One business owner, who did not wish to be named for fear of intimidation, told The Irish News it was a “cowardly” attempt to intimidate residents.
“Flags are an eyesore, regardless of what flag it is,” he said.
“But there has been a lot of work gone on recently in the town to make it a better place to shop and do business, especially in the lead up to Christmas.
“We are doing stuff to promote the town, so to see something like this dragging businesses into it is pretty low.
“It is hard enough to make money at the minute in a small town without stuff like this, dragging businesses into it is about as low as you can get, especially when we had nothing to do with flags in the first place.”
The issue was raised at the council on Wednesday, with Sinn Féin’s Ruairi McHugh saying the “proliferation” of flags was disrespectful to the community.
“It’s also disrespectful to those people within the unionist community themselves who don’t want to see their flag flying from lamp posts,” Mr McHugh argued.
“So these flags need to come down.
“I’m not raising this in an effort to curtail anybody’s rights or traditions, if people want to have a parade that’s well and good, but it’s only reasonable to ask that [flags] then be taken down in an acceptable time frame.
“We have our Christmas light switch on coming up next week and want our town centre to be a welcoming environment so I call on [parade organisers], who have availed of Good Relations funding from this council, to think about the impact those flags are having on good relations, have some common sense, and take the flags down now.”
Ulster Unionist councillor Derek Hussey said he did not see any issues with union flags flying in the town, and condemned as “absolutely disgraceful” attempts made to encourage a boycott of businesses.
“They are the flag of our country of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. If you respect the Belfast Agreement I don’t see how anyone would have an issue with them.”
Castlederg Young Loyalists were contacted for comment.
