Police in Northern Ireland were urged today to step up patrols in a village which witnessed one of the worst IRA atrocities after a memorial to the victims was damaged by vandals.
Villagers in Claudy, where nine people were murdered in a triple car bomb attack in July 1972, were appalled to find the memorial removed from its plinth and pushed to the ground.
Toilets and a phone box were also vandalised in the village.
Ulster Unionist councillor Mary Hamilton, who was injured in the July 1972 atrocity, said there was revulsion following the wave of vandalism on Friday night.
"This doesn't appear to have been a political act but just a wanton act of vandalism," the Derry city councillor said. "This is a lovely wee statue of a girl which was erected in memory of the nine people killed in Claudy, those injured and other victims of violence in the area over the years.
"I cannot understand the mentality of people who do this sort of thing. "What satisfaction can they possibly get from this?" Among the victims of the Claudy bomb attack was a nine-year-old girl and a 15-year old boy.
The victims came from both the Protestant and Catholic communities. Ms Hamilton still carries injuries from the 1972 attack to this day. "People are so hurt by this act of vandalism," she said. "People are talking about erecting the statue again and just bolting it down.
"The only deterrent to this would be a more regular and visible police presence in Claudy. I know we are to get 50 extra police in this council area but it will take two years to train them and get them on the streets.
"If there was a police vehicle in this village at weekends it could act as a deterrent. The problem is isolated areas like Claudy are vulnerable at present to this kind of incident."
PA