SDLP party members were spat on and pelted with eggs and yoghurt in an incident orchestrated by republicans, it was claimed last night.
|
Party Upper Bann candidate Ms Dolores Kelly said she and nine canvassers were forced to withdraw from the Kilwilkee estate in Lurgan in Co Armagh because of harassment and intimidation by teenage boys.
Ms Kelly said she had no doubt republicans were behind the antics of the group of eight youths, aged around 15, who she said followed two SDLP groups around the estate on bicycles and ripped up party leaflets.
The claims were certain to re-ignite hostilites between the SDLP and Sinn Féin following reports last week SDLP candidate for West Tyrone Ms Bríd Rodgers has been jostled and abused by Sinn Féin supporters.
Ms Kelly said: "It was intimidating. The boys were doing wheelies, darting up and down alongside us, braking sharply behind us and shouting abuse at us.At one stage I was in the car and one tried to spit in the window but luckily it was up at the time."
Other workers were not so lucky, one being spat on and another splattered with yoghurt and the group left the area after an hour having only covered half the estate, she said.
Ms Kelly - a councillor for the area - said it was the first time she had experienced such hostility on the streets.
The incident happened in a unionist-dominated constituency currently held by Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimblebut the SDLP's main opposition in Kilwilkee comes from Sinn Féin.
She said of last night's episode: "I'm just disgusted. If that's democracy in so-called republican areas, then it's shameful. For young people to be used in that manner is a disgrace."
PA