13/02/2019

Teebane Memorial Damaged In Sectarian Hate Crime

Police are investigating a sectarian fuelled hate crime in Teebane after a memorial to eight Protestant workmen killed by the IRA in 1992 was damaged.

The attack happened some time between the evening of Monday 11 February and the following morning, when paint was thrown over the memorial.

UUP's Cookstown Councillor Trevor Wilson was left "disgusted" by the attack.

He said: "Whoever committed this act of desecration at this memorial has nothing of value to contribute to any community or cause. They cannot respect the memory of eight men murdered as they returned home from a day's work, and they should not be surprised that all decent citizens will regard both them and their actions with utter contempt."

The memorial has been subject to a number of attacks over the years, once when it was left completely destroyed in 1996.

PSNI have appealed for witnesses to the latest attack.

In a statement, they said: "If you were involved or you know who was involved take a long hard look at yourself or have a word with your mate. Is your life really that pathetic that you feel the need to skulk out in the middle of the night and throw paint over a memorial to eight dead workmen?"

(CM/MH)

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