Politicians Must do More to Tackle Sectarianism and Misogyny

By Cate McCurry (PA)

Northern Ireland’s justice minister said that politicians must reflect on what more can be done to stamp out and tackle sectarianism and misogyny in the region.

Naomi Long said a video showing a group of people mocking the murder of Michaela McAreavey was a reminder of a “deep cancer of sectarianism” at the heart of Northern Ireland’s society.

The video, which emerged on social media on Friday, has received widespread condemnation from across Northern Ireland and beyond, as well as across the political spectrum.

The Alliance Party leader said: “Perhaps it is also an opportunity for us to reflect more widely on the values that we hold as a society because when I saw the video, it’s a reminder that there is a deep cancer of sectarianism at the heart of our society.

“We need to root that out because that kind of bitterness and hatred really has no place in the modern Northern Ireland and we need to move beyond that and be our best selves rather than constantly reverting to this kind of behaviour, or having that small minority who behave in this way constantly dragging us back.

“I think we do need to reflect as politicians as to what more we can do to try to tackle sectarianism and misogyny in our society.

“Obviously there’s still a problem if in this day and age relatively young people are engaged in such a horrendous breach of any kind of decency.

“I think that’s something we need to show leadership on not just the one issue, but for the long term.”