Queen Victoria Statue in Belfast Hospital Grounds Targeted in Paint Attack
Police in Belfast have launched an appeal for witnesses after a statue of Queen Victoria was vandalised with red paint in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, with republican group Lasair Dhearg posting a picture on social media that appeared to show one of its supporters pouring paint over the monument.
Republican Group Claims Responsibility for Vandalism
In an accompanying social media post, Lasair Dhearg stated that "Belfast activists" had visited the "Famine Queen," referencing the Irish potato famine of the mid-19th century. The group claimed that "British monarch Victoria oversaw the Great Hunger and the decimation of the Irish population as millions perished and emigrated." This act of vandalism has drawn swift condemnation from political figures and authorities.
Police Investigation and Cleanup Efforts Underway
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) reported receiving a report of criminal damage at the Grosvenor Road site in west Belfast on Friday afternoon. A spokesperson said, "Inquiries are at an early stage and police would appeal to any witnesses, or anyone who might have any information which could assist us, to get in touch." Meanwhile, work was underway on Friday evening to remove the paint, with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust confirming that staff were "working to have this paint removed as quickly as possible."
Political Figures Condemn the Vandalism as Disgraceful
DUP Assembly member Phillip Brett described the vandalism as an "utter disgrace," accusing those responsible of attempting to "intimidate" and "erase" British identity from Northern Ireland. He emphasised, "This wasn't 'activism'. It was an attack on shared space, on heritage and on basic respect." Ulster Unionist Assembly member Alan Chambers, the party's health spokesman, also condemned the incident, noting that "Every pound that now has to be spent repairing this damage is a pound taken away from the health service."
Context of Recent Statue Vandalisms Across the UK
This incident follows the arrest of a 38-year-old man on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage after a statue of Sir Winston Churchill was graffitied in Parliament Square, Westminster. That statue was defaced overnight with phrases including "Zionist war criminal." While in opposition, the Labour Party supported the then government in introducing prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who desecrate war memorials, highlighting ongoing debates over heritage and criminal justice.
