Queen Victoria Statue Defaced with Red Paint at Belfast Hospital Complex
Police in Belfast have launched an investigation after a statue of Queen Victoria was vandalised with red paint at the Royal Victoria Hospital site. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Grosvenor Road location in west Belfast, with republican organisation Lasair Dhearg claiming responsibility through social media channels.
Republican Group Claims Responsibility for Paint Attack
Lasair Dhearg posted photographic evidence on social media platforms showing what appeared to be one of their supporters pouring red paint over the historic monument. In an accompanying statement, the group referred to Queen Victoria as the "Famine Queen," directly referencing the devastating Irish potato famine of the mid-nineteenth century during her reign.
The organisation's declaration asserted that "British monarch Victoria oversaw the Great Hunger and the decimation of the Irish population as millions perished and emigrated." Their statement continued with a broader political manifesto, proclaiming that "in a socialist republic all the symbols of Empire will be stripped from the land; street names, statues, institutions and those that will stand against the people organising for a better future."
Lasair Dhearg concluded their message with the claim that "only the fight for a socialist republic can bring about the end of occupation and imperialism in Ireland."
Police Investigation and Cleanup Operation Underway
The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed receiving a report of criminal damage at the hospital site on Friday afternoon. A police spokesperson stated: "It was reported that paint was thrown over a statue in the area. Inquiries are at an early stage and police would appeal to any witnesses, or anyone who might have any information which could assist us, to get in touch."
Immediate cleanup efforts commenced on Friday evening, with hospital trust staff working diligently to remove the red paint from the monument. The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust issued a statement acknowledging the incident: "Belfast Trust is aware of an incident in which the statue of Queen Victoria, on the Royal Group of Hospitals site, was daubed with red paint. Trust staff are working to have this paint removed as quickly as possible. Police have been informed of the incident."
Political Figures Condemn Vandalism as Disgraceful Act
Democratic Unionist Party Assembly member Phillip Brett described the vandalism as an "utter disgrace," accusing those responsible of attempting to intimidate and erase British identity from Northern Ireland. He emphasised: "This wasn't 'activism.' It was an attack on shared space, on heritage and on basic respect."
Mr Brett challenged the perpetrators' motives, stating: "If they truly cared about working-class communities, they would be campaigning to improve public services, not defacing public property and intimidating others." He concluded with a firm declaration: "And let me be clear to those who think they can erase British identity from Northern Ireland, we are not going anywhere."
Healthcare Resources Diverted for Cleanup Costs
Ulster Unionist Assembly member Alan Chambers, who serves as his party's health spokesman, strongly condemned what he called a "completely senseless and unacceptable act of vandalism." He highlighted the particular impact on healthcare resources, noting: "Every pound that now has to be spent repairing this damage is a pound taken away from the health service."
Mr Chambers elaborated on the timing challenges, stating: "At a time when our health service is already under immense pressure, with budgets stretched, it is utterly irresponsible that scarce resources will now have to be diverted to clean up this mess." He emphasised the hospital's primary purpose, saying: "The Royal Victoria Hospital exists to provide care and treatment to some of the sickest people in Northern Ireland and at the most vulnerable moments in their lives."
The health spokesman concluded with a plea for information: "I urge anyone with information about this despicable incident to come forward." The statue of Queen Victoria has stood on the hospital grounds for decades, with the medical complex itself named in honour of the late monarch who reigned during much of the nineteenth century.
