A poster erected in Enniskillen centre on Wednesday evening, close to the site of the 1987 bombing, is being treated as a hate incident, police have confirmed.

On Wednesday evening, November 10, posters were erected in Enniskillen by The 1916 Robert Emmet Society, with one of poster erected beside the Cenotaph at Belmore Street.

The poster shows a Union Jack beside the words ‘Murder’, ‘Occupation’, ‘Inequality’ and ‘Collusion’.

In a statement, the PSNI said: "Police in Fermanagh are aware of a number of posters being erected in the Enniskillen area yesterday evening [Wednesday, November 10], including one at the Cenotaph.

"Due to the sensitivities around Armistice Day, a decision was taken to remove and seize the poster at the Cenotaph.

"This is being treated as a hate incident, and an investigation is under way."

There was condemnation from Unionist politicians, with DUP MLA Deborah Erskine calling the placing of the poster on the war memorial "disgraceful". She challenged those responsible to explain their actions.

"For an organisation to erect these posters ahead of the Acts of Remembrance takes a special kind of twisted nature. They should front up and explain their need to be so insensitive and offensive," said Mrs. Erskine.

"Rising tensions and causing division is not what the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone want. Those responsible are in the minority, and always will be. Their sick agenda has no support.”

Party colleague and Fermanagh and Omagh District Councillor, Keith Elliott, added: “I want to thank [the PSNI] for their quick actions tonight, which ensured this particular poster was taken down quickly. However, this organisation erected posters across the town.

"The police are aware [of such posters]. This needs to be investigated, as we do not want this behaviour in Enniskillen. Nobody wants to see community relations wrecked.”

UUP MLA Rosemary Barton also condemned the actions: “In this Armistice Day week, and the 34th anniversary of the IRA’s massacre at Enniskillen, the erecting of a number of these vile posters in the town – including at the War Memorial – is nothing but a hideous attempt to stoke up tensions once again in the area, and people are indeed both disgusted and outraged.

“The Enniskillen Cenotaph is a place to remember those who lost their lives in both World Wars, regardless of creed or colour, and it is also where people lost their lives in the IRA’s Enniskillen Bomb in 1987.

“Cenotaphs and war memorials should be a place of respect and contemplation. Only a seriously twisted mind would seek to erect the type of poster that was put up at Enniskillen War Memorial in advance of Armistice Day, and timed to cause the maximum hurt and offence.

“This is a hate crime which must be condemned by all political parties, and as the police investigate, I am calling on them to increase their surveillance around all war memorials,” she added.

Also condemning the posters being erected, Alliance assembly candidate Matt Beaumont said: "

It is absolutely mind boggling that anyone would carry out this stupid act, which achieves nothing except increasing tensions in the local community,” said Beaumont.

“Especially when you consider the history Enniskillen and Remembrance week share. Fermanagh is so much better than the acts of a pathetic few”

“I remind those that carries this out, you impress no one, please stop”

“To those with any information, please do reach out to the police”

The Robert Emmet 1916 Society were contacted for a comment however, they have not responded.