‘Disgust and anger’ after Foyle Bridge Palestine solidarity mural daubed with yellow paint

Yellow paint was spattered all over several flights of steps painted in the Palestinian colours in solidarity with the people of Gaza in April.

A mural depicting a grieving Palestinian woman holding a dying or sick child was also daubed with paint in the attack.

Catherine Hutton, chair of the Derry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) said the group is ‘extremely disgusted and angry by this wanton act of vandalism of Derry’s Palestine Steps’.

A slogan at the foot of the steps declaiming ‘if you don't like GRAFFITI look away like you do for GENOCIDE’ was partly concealed with the word ‘GENOCIDE’ partly erased by the vandals.

“The fact that the word genocide was almost covered over points to a sinister attempt to deny that a genocide is taking place in Gaza,” said Ms. Hutton, in the wake of the attack late on Wednesday or early on Thursday.

She said the Derry IPSC will be organising a clean-up of the steps over the coming days.

Ms. Hutton said: “We have a vigil planned for Sunday, May 12 at the steps at 7pm and will be putting a call out for people to volunteer to help clean this disgraceful destruction of Derry’s solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

IPSC activists painted the steps of the 40 year old bridge in the pan-Arab colours of red, black, white and green in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank and Occupied East Jerusalem in April.