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(Irelandclick.com)

Residents in the Newton Park area of South Belfast are up in arms at the swamping of their local area with flags and bunting. Dozens of Union flags were recently erected along the length of Newton Park, a mixed area in Four Winds.

The SDLP are backing local residents and are calling for the removal of the flags which are seen as offensive.

South Belfast's new MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell said, "Placing these flags in a mixed area is a crude sectarian stunt. Newton Park and the surrounding area is a mixed, open and friendly neighbourhood and ordinary folk choose to live there on this basis. Families from both community backgrounds are totally opposed at this move and are angry that outside elements have hoisted flags outside their homes in order to cause division within the community," he said.

He called on the PSNI to prosecute offenders, particularly for those incidents occurring within interface, mixed community areas or on Council-owned property.

This article appeared first on the Irelandclick.com web site on June 24, 2005.