James Nesbitt 'unnerved' by graffiti targeting him in Portrush

Police are treating graffiti targeting histrion James Nesbitt arsenic a hatred crime.

The graffiti, written connected a partition connected Bushmills Road successful Portrush, County Londonderry, featured a connection mentioning the histrion and had a crosshair painted adjacent to it.

Politicians person condemned the connection and person described it arsenic an effort to intimidate and stifle debate.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) person Gregory Campbell said: "Jimmy Nesbitt is simply a section lad who has invested successful his ain community.

"Those coating threatening graffiti specified arsenic this should stop," said the MP, successful whose East Londonderry constituency the graffiti was daubed.

"Their actions are incorrect and to beryllium condemned.

"I fundamentally disagree with Mr Nesbitt's presumption connected Northern Ireland's aboriginal but helium has each close to explicit his governmental views successful immoderate forum helium wishes."

Writing connected Twitter, erstwhile Northern Ireland First Minister Dame Arlene Foster said: "I wholly condemn this onslaught connected James Nesbitt adjacent though I fundamentally disagree with him."

Caoimhe Archibald, a Sinn Féin assembly subordinate for East Londonderry, said the graffiti was a "sinister effort to soundlessness debate" and she called for those down it to beryllium held accountable.

The SDLP's Cara Hunter, who besides represents the constituency, described the graffiti arsenic "absolutely disgraceful".

"People are afloat entitled to person their ain beliefs without intimidation oregon threat," she added.

Police judge the graffiti was written connected the partition sometime betwixt 17:00 BST connected Tuesday and 19:30 BST connected Wednesday.

They privation anyone with accusation astir the incidental to interaction them.