Police in Northern Ireland appealed for witnesses after red paint was thrown on a statue of Queen Victoria at the Royal Victoria Hospital site in west Belfast. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Grosvenor Road location, part of the Belfast Hospital complex named after the monarch.

The republican group Lasair Dhearg posted images on social media showing a supporter applying the paint. The group linked the action to Queen Victoria's era during the Irish potato famine and stated that imperial symbols would be removed in a socialist republic.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland classified the act as criminal damage. Officers began inquiries immediately and requested information from the public.

Staff from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, which manages the site, started removing the paint on Friday evening. The Trust notified police of the incident.

DUP Assembly member Phillip Brett described the vandalism as criminal damage that attacks shared spaces and heritage. He called for investigation and court action against those involved.

Ulster Unionist Assembly member Alan Chambers condemned the defacing of the statue at a healthcare facility. He noted that repair costs divert funds from patient care amid health service pressures.