Concern for children is growing as preparations get underway for a dissident republican parade in the Creggan area of Derry city in the coming weeks.
This comes after a Sinn Fein office in Derry was targeted by dissident "republican youth" members. Photos and video of masked and hooded youths carrying out vandalism at the Sinn Fein constituency offices in Creggan was published online over the weekend, showing paint being thrown on the building and a slogan spray painted outside.
A statement published on social media by the "Republican Revolutionary Youth" account on Facebook said Sinn Fein's office was targeted by "Éistigí members based in Derry".
Éistigí is a youth group that is promoted by the dissident republican organisation Saoradh. The attack on the Sinn Fein office comes just weeks before a dissident republican Easter commemoration is due to take place in Creggan - on Easter Monday.
The "Republican Revolutionary Youth" Facebook account also published photographs of young people and children, many wearing masks with hoods up, painting lampposts and bollards in Creggan as part of what the account described as "preparations for this year's Unfinished Revolution Commemoration" on April 21.
Similar dissident republican events in Creggan on Easter Monday in previous years have attracted serious disorder.
Last year, following a parade through Creggan by masked men wearing paramilitary style uniforms, journalists came under attack as petrol bombs were thrown at members of various media organisations.
The previous year, in 2023, petrol bombs were thrown at the PSNI during a similar parade and police said pipe bombs were uncovered at the city cemetery the following day.
There was also violence after an Easter parade in the area in 2022.
Derry priest Fr Michael Canny, speaking to Belfast Live about the photographs published on social media showing children and young people, said: "I'm very disappointed at the acts of vandalism. Vandalism has no place in our communities.
"We all must work together to find a better world for all of our people to live in. It is more regrettable to find that some are encouraging children to get involved and to get into trouble, which will cause them all sorts of problems later with regards to employment and of course to getting visas to other countries where they may want to find a better life for themselves.
The DUP MP Gregory Campbell, meanwhile, said: "There are two issues and one is the use of children. It has become more prevalent in the last sort of five or six years by dissident groups and that is concerning. Parents need to be aware of the fact that their children are being used - that is what is happening, they are being used. It concerns the likes of social services or the children's commissioner to be aware that children are being used in this way."
He continued: "The second thing is the more immediate issue of Easter, and we know from the last four or five years that there is the potential for serious disorder at Easter weekend at this event organised by dissident republicans. Police need to be not just aware of this but they need to be taking steps to establish who is behind it and to prevent a reoccurence."
In a statement on the targeting of the Sinn Fein offices in Creggan, the party's MLA Gerry Kelly said: “This wanton act of vandalism will not distract Sinn Féin from the work we do in the community as we work towards building a better future for all in a united and sovereign Ireland."
He added: "Those involved in this vandalism have no support and nothing to offer."
And in a brief statement on the constituency office vandalism, a police spokesperson said: "Police are aware of the incident and enquiries are ongoing."
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