A Sinn Féin Assembly employee has resigned from the party after admitting involvement in damaging a portrait of a former DUP lord mayor.
The employee made the party chief whip aware of the involvement in the incident, which happened following an event at Belfast City Hall on Saturday.
“The employee was immediately suspended, and we have notified the PSNI today,” the party said in a statement.
“The employee has now resigned from their employment and their party membership.”
It comes after a west Belfast Irish language group said it was “extremely disappointed” after the portrait of the former lord mayor was damaged following an event hosted by the organisation at city hall.
Glór na Móna, which operates in the Upper Springfield Road area, held a dinner in the Great Hall on Saturday to celebrate 20 years since its founding.
Following the formal end of the event, the portrait for one time mayor Wallace Browne, now a lord, was damaged, the group said. It is understood the portrait was taken from the wall and the glass broken.
The group said it had no knowledge of the portrait being damaged until contacted by city council staff on Monday.
“This is completely contrary to the ethos and principles of our organisation and the spirit of our successful anniversary celebratory event,” a Glór na Móna spokesperson said.
“We are extremely disappointed that this took place after what was an incredibly positive evening. We are assisting Belfast City Council with their investigation into the circumstances of this damage.”
Lord Browne served on Belfast City Council from 1985 to 2010 and was lord mayor between 2005 and 2006. He was made a lord in 2006 and was an MLA for East Belfast from 2007 to 2011.
A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: “The portrait of former Lord Mayor, Lord Wallace Browne has been removed from public display after it was damaged over the weekend.
“We are currently assessing the extent of the damage and looking into the circumstances which led to the portrait being damaged. No further action has been taken at this time.
“We hope to complete any necessary repairs as soon as possible so the portrait can be put back on display.”
The DUP has called for “a full and robust investigation into the damaging of Lord Browne’s portrait” .
Alderman Dean McCullough noted the damage was caused after the event in the Great Hall organised by Glór na Móna.
“Following our initial request for an urgent update, it appears that a person or persons unknown removed the Lord Wallace Brown portrait from the wall and smashed the glass within the frame,” said Alderman McCullough.
The party questioned whether there was any link between the incident and the removal of the portrait of former Belfast Lord Mayor, Niall Ó Donnghaile.
Mr McCullough added that it was “worth highlighting that this particular portrait was painted by the renowned Jewish artist, Israel Zohar - again, raising another, serious question”.
“I understand enquiries are ongoing into how this incident occurred - however, our party has called for a full and robust investigation.
“Let us be clear, we will not tolerate the portraits of upstanding public servants, and Democratic Unionists, being damaged in our city hll.”
