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24 Oct 2025

Orange Hall attack being treated as hate crime by police

Orange Hall attack being treated as hate crime by police

Police have said they are treating an attack on an Orange Hall in Co Antrim as a sectarian hate crime.

Shortly after 1:20am on Saturday, it was reported that paint had been thrown over the front of the building in the Main Street of Rasharkin and graffiti daubed on walls opposite.

The attack happened just hours before a Twelfth of July parade was due to take place in the town.

PSNI Superintendent Sinead McIldowney said: “We are treating this criminal damage as a sectarian-motivated hate crime.

“The police service condemns all sectarian hate crime and criminal damage caused to any property is absolutely unacceptable.

“We will thoroughly investigate this matter and would appeal to anyone with information to contact us on 101, quoting reference 177 of 12/07/25.

“Our officers will continue to proactively patrol the area and engage with the local community around any concerns they may have.”

TUV leader Jim Allister condemned the incident.

He said: “The overnight sectarian attack on Rasharkin Orange Hall and the painting of terrorist slogans in the village, before it today hosts Twelfth celebrations, typifies the unbridled hatred of Orange and unionist culture that is designed to drive out its remaining Protestant residents.

“The local unionist community will nonetheless not be deterred by this latest manifestation of sectarian hatred.”

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