A Loyalist mural celebrating paramilitary atrocities has been painted over by the deputy mayor of Belfast.
The mural, on a wall in west Belfast, had been criticised by many nationalist groups for glorifying paramilitarism.
The painting listed five massacres by the UDA-UFF, including those at the Rising Sun bar in Greysteel and Sean Graham's bookmakers on the Ormeau Road. An inscription underneath read: "Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time?"
Sinn Fein, among others, had challenged the deputy mayor, Mr Frank McCoubrey, whose UDP party is linked to the UDA and UFF, to have the mural removed.
Mr McCoubrey said he had only been made aware of the challenge to have the mural removed in the last few days as he had been out of the country. He had been in consultation with community leaders in the area and said he had been "shocked" when he was contacted yesterday morning and told that the community would accept him personally painting over the mural.
There was no disruption as Mr McCoubrey painted over the mural, accompanied by the UDP chairman, Mr John White, and Mr Johnny Adair. "Obviously there were some people who were happy for it to stay up but they are prepared to let the mural be painted off the wall. They have asked me to do it myself. I think it is a step in the right direction," said Mr McCoubrey.