“Israeli Genocide” (Israel represented by the Star Of David) – This Antrim Road (north Belfast) graffiti protests the on-going Israeli attacks on cities in the Gaza Strip. The death toll of Palestinians now stands at more than 37,000 people, with 60% of residences destroyed (Al Jazeera).
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The electoral pact between the TUV and Reform UK for the Westminster elections on July 4th – announced in March (BBC) – was abruptly thrown into disarray when Nigel Farage, who decided to stand only at the last moment and was made leader of Reform UK (Sky News), endorsed the DUP’s Sammy Wilson in East Antrim (as opposed to the TUV’s Matthew Warwick) and Ian Paisley Jr in North Antrim (rather than TUV leader Jim Allister). Candidates in other constituencies continue to have Reform’s support (BelTel | BBC).
Farage in the Dark Horse courtyard: Sweet Rockall.
The placard above is on the Ballysillan Road, north Belfast.
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Discover Ulster-Scots (web) has added some more boards in north Belfast, joining the recent gallery of famous figures at Mountcollyer Avenue (see The Scots In Ulster).
The boards shown here are in North Queen St: “Ulster-Scots have been making Belfast a better place for over 400 years. Many of Belfast’s leading charitable, religious and educational institutions were founded by Ulster-Scots.” with images of BRA (James Crombie), Clifton House (possibly William Tennant is intended), the Linen Hall Library (a list of founders can be found on page 11 of this History), the Assembly buildings (of the Presbyterian church), and Queen’s (John Mowat).
Additional new boards, concerning soda farls and potato bread, and brown lemonade, can be seen in the Paddy Duffy Collection: The Ulster Fry.
See also: the Visual History page on Ulster-Scots murals.
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“No foreigners” and “Locals only” graffiti in front of the new construction at the site of the Tudor Lodge on Shore Road at the bottom of Gray’s Lane.
Previously UDA graffiti at the site: Sinn Fein Toadies (from 2005) | Standing Stone (from 2021)
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“Free Gazz” is corrected to “Free Gaza” – graffiti in Pacific Avenue, Newington’s “best kept street, 1981”.
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“There is no lie big enough to cover the shame of jailing two innocent men #JFTC2”. Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton were convicted of the 2009 murder of Constable Stephen Carroll (BBC), and sentenced to life with 25-year and 18-year minimums, respectively. The case is under review (Guardian | An Phoblacht).
This RNU (Fb) board also appeared on Northumberland Street in west Belfast.
Berwick Road, Ardoyne, north Belfast. For the Fıanna mural, see Gal Greıne. For the pro-Palestine board, see Old Is The New New. For the right-most board, see Óglach Sean McCaughey.
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Here is an assortment of images concerning boycotts of Israeli goods in response to the invasion of Gaza. Above, “Ban Israeli goods” on the wall of the Alexandra Park Tesco, north Belfast; below, V-for-victory fingers as scissors snipping barbed wire (bdsmovement.net) in a shop window in Andersonstown, west Belfast; “BDS” [Boycott, divestment, sanctions] and “IPSC” [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which maintains a list of Israeli goods] next to a painted Palestinian flag in the middle Falls, west Belfast; plus an Artists Against Genocide (ig) sticker.
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The Pride Of Ardoyne flute band memorial site was overhauled in November. The silhouetted bandsmen (seen in Pride Of Ardoyne) are gone and the cross and wooden plaque at the top (see Billy Hanna) have been joined by two large boards, naming “J. Bailey, W. Hanna, S. Rockett, B. McClure” and, (on the drum) “Charlie Dunn (1957-2021)”, along with 20 small plaques of these five plus 15 more who are an “absent member”, “absent friend”, and “loyal supporter”.
For Bailey, see On This Day. For Rockett, see Essence And Space. For McClure, see UPI. For Dunn, see the band’s Fb Page.
The image below is of a 50th anniversary Pride Of Ardoyne flag inside the door of Lainey’s craft shop on the Shankill Road.
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TUV (Traditional Unionist Voice) has put up placards attacking the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) – including outside the office of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson – in response to the possibility that the DUP might re-enter Stormont – which has been defunct now for two years – and implement the NI Protocol (BBC | BelTel).
It hasn’t happened yet, but a combination of public dissatisfaction concerning inaction over strikes by transport workers on December 22 and a general strike planned for January 18 (ITv)) and a financial package for pay awards are keeping the pressure on (Shropshire Star).
For the Orange symbols above, see Your Kingdom Will Endure Forever; for Psalm 95 see We Are The People; for the Lamentations, see אי כניעה (“No surrender” in Hebrew).
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“Diversity is shit” – small stencil in Baltic Avenue, north Belfast, one street away from Building An Ireland Of Equals.
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Extramural Activity 