Naomi Long

Paul Maskey, the MP for West Belfast, last week called on Naomi Long to apologise to the local community for the “hurt” caused by billboards funded by the Department of Justice.

He said local businesses and organisations had raised concerns with him about the posters, which were “demonising our communities”.

“The message these advertisements imply is that our community is somehow under the jackboot of criminality, fear and paramilitarism — that’s simply not true,” Mr Maskey said.

However, Mrs Long told Irish Legal News: “Criminal gangs exploit, intimidate and harm our communities. They are not defenders or protectors, they are criminals, and their actions have no place in a modern, thriving Northern Ireland.

“That these gangs continue to operate in local communities, extorting businesses and running drug and other criminal enterprises, is a statement of fact.

“Burying our heads in the sand about that will contribute nothing to the effort to get rid of them.”

The Department of Justice’s ‘Ending the Harm’ campaign “does not seek to stigmatise any community”, she added.

“On the contrary, it aims to support communities by challenging the perception that paramilitary or criminal control is inevitable and by signposting support for those affected.

“The Executive programme on paramilitarism and organised crime works hand-in-hand with local communities and voluntary organisations to deliver real change, and independent market research shows that 89 per cent of people fully support what this campaign is saying and trying to do.

“However, addressing the harms inflicted by criminal and paramilitary gangs is a complex one and we welcome ongoing dialogue with elected representatives and community leaders to ensure the campaign continues to support the shared goal of building safer, stronger communities for everyone.”