Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr
Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has condemned the wanton vandalism of Broughshane House.
The premises on Main Street in the village was attacked sometime in the early hours of yesterday morning, Wednesday 27 September.
Broughshane House is home to the Broughshane and District Community Association as well as Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership, and a number of other organisation which provide services to the local residents.
Staff were shocked and saddened when they arrived at their offices to find windows smashed and graffiti sprayed on the building.
It is understood the incident happened after Sinn Féin deputy mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Bréanainn Lyness switched on the Christmas lights on Saturday evening in the village.
Councillor Lyness shares mayoral duties with the Borough’s Mayor, DUP Alderman Beth Adger MBE. It is understood that Broughshane & District Community Association made a request to the mayoral office to assist with the switch-on event, but because the mayor was unavailable, Councillor Lyness deputised in Alderman Adger’s place.
Commenting on the attack on the local community building, Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr deemed the action as “sickening”. He said:
“It is sickening that a building which hosts various organisations which do tremendous good in the community was vandalised. Money which should have been used to improve the lives of our community’s most needy will now have to be diverted to repair the damage.
“No matter what people’s opinions of the presence of a Sinn Fein Deputy Mayor switching on the village lights were, Broughshane House should not have been vandalised.
“If anyone has any information regarding this incident, I encourage them to contact the PSNI.”
Mr Barr added:
“I trust that those in our community who may believe that vandalism is a means of expressing their frustrations will look to the new Broughshane Culture Awareness Association for inspiration and leadership.
“By working with these young men as past few months, I see leadership, enthusiasm and a desire to promote Unionism in a positive light.
“I hope that this will be the end of the vandalism as we all know in Northern Ireland, violence and destruction achieves nothing.”