Member's statement: Councillor Paul Duffy: Intimidation
Member's statement by Mr Cathal Boylan on .
- MLA
- Mr Cathal Boylan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 13 October 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Councillor Paul Duffy: Intimidation
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5789433
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I condemn in the strongest possible terms the threats made against my dear friend and colleague Councillor Paul Duffy and extend my full solidarity to Paul and his clan. Paul is a son of the Garvaghy Road. He represents the Garvaghy Road, and, over recent weeks, he has stood firm with his neighbours, as any public representative should. Yesterday, Paul went to his work and was faced with threatening graffiti. That is totally unacceptable. It is an attack on Paul, on his family and on the democratic process itself. That attack did not happen in isolation. It comes against a backdrop of incredibly dangerous and dehumanising language coming from political unionism about the Garvaghy Road and its residents, and it must end now. Public representatives, like everyone, should be free to do their work and represent their constituents free from threats, fear or intimidation. That principle is not up for negotiation. Those behind the faceless threats have nothing to offer our society. They speak for no one. They will not silence Paul, and they will not intimidate his community. Paul has the full support of Sinn Féin and, I believe, of every right-thinking person in the Chamber and across our society. Anyone with information about those responsible should bring it to the PSNI.
213 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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