SF councillor threatens Unionist in council meeting
Republicans are under pressure to apologise today to hard-line unionists after threats were issued at a council meeting in Northern Ireland.
Derry City councillors abandoned the meeting last night amid ugly scenes between Sinn Fein’s Barney O’Hagan and Gregory Campbell of Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party.
Mr O’Hagan had claimed his rival insulted him after references were made to Sinn Fein councillors being “slow learners”.
A decision was then made to adjourn the meeting until the republican party had apologised and Mr Campbell insisted it was now up to Sinn Fein to say sorry.
He said: “I didn’t threaten anyone with physical violence.
“Once there’s an unequivocal retraction of the threat of physical violence then we can move on.
“But never in all my time on the council have I ever threatened someone that I would rip their heads off.”
Mr O’Hagan said he would take back his comments if Mr Campbell apologised.
He said: “During that debate we were called thickos, we were called murderers, and those insults are cast in our direction in every meeting.
“Gregory Campbell was on his feet leaning in my direction when he made one of the remarks. I responded by saying something back to him.
“Whatever I said was in response to prior insults that were directed towards me. I make no apology for standing up for myself.”
