Two banners have been erected in east Belfast on the Castlereagh Road and Clonduff Drive calling for a consultation to be held in relation to a proposed new Irish language school.
Irish language primary school Scoil na Seolta (‘School of the Sails’) is set to open on Montgomery Road later this year.
The banners read: “No consultation no engagement no respect for our community” and “Local site should meet the local needs our community voice matters”.
Belfast City Council gave planning permission for the proposed temporary nursery and primary school and soft play area in June following only two objections relating to the application.
The two recent banners – which were noticed on Sunday morning – follow one which was erected on Thursday on Montgomery Road, and which was later taken down, calling on the school to relocate.
This earlier incident is being treated as a sectarian hate incident by the police.
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite has reported the two new banners to the police on Sunday and also called on Belfast City Council to remove them as they have been erected on the fencing of the Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre.
“This is clearly a targeted campaign of harassment and hate and is frankly weird if you ask me for those erecting these posters to continue to obsess over stopping kids going to school,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
“It is oversubscribed and privately funded and, not only that, the school isn’t even going to be there for a long time, it’s a temporary location.
“This site has been lying empty for quite a long time and Clonduff estate doesn’t even enter onto it, they have their back to it, there is only six or seven houses which open onto the school,” he added.
“I think It’s important for elected representatives to draw a line between people raising actual concerns and those being downright sectarian in their views.”
Cllr de Faoite said that the “constant harassment of children” is “frankly terrifying”.
“The vast majority of elected representatives have stood up to say this is wrong and this school will be a safe place to send their children but this is still a really concerning message that these banners are sending to both parents and children,” he said.
“If this continues what kind of message is this sending to yet another generation of children who are being subject to harassment and intimidation?”
Alliance councillor Michael Long also condemned the recent posters in a post on X.
He said: “Another pathetic act of intimidation by local gatekeepers. Have asked for them to be removed immediately if still in place. Let’s remember this is about a school for 4-year-olds.”
In a post on social media on Sunday loyalist activist Moore Holmes said: “Two more banners have now appeared near Clonduff highlighting the lack of consultation, engagement and respect for the local community over the divisive Gaelic-language school.
“Whatever your view of the school, it has been woefully mismanaged from the outset and we are now witnessing the consequences of that.
“The site would be best used for something that is accessible to, enjoys the support of and materially benefits the people who live in the immediate area.
“Everyone has the right to learn and speak the language of their choosing, but there are alternative spaces the Gaelic language school ought to consider which are much more suitable for their ambitions. Stop ignoring local residents. Common sense must prevail.”
The school is backed by Irish language campaigner Linda Ervine and will be the first Irish language school in east Belfast.
Scoil na Seolta previously said they received over 100 letters from parents expressing interest in sending their child to the school, which received permission to set up in the Montgomery Road area.
The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) recently used a meeting with Education Minister Paul Givan to raise concerns about the proposed school in east Belfast and urged Mr Givan to stop the development.
The meeting between the LCC and Mr Givan caused controversy and was widely criticised.
The PSNI and Belfast City Council have been approached for comment.