Members of the left-wing republican group Lasair Dhearg poured red paint over the Queen Victoria statue located in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Friday.

The group posted online that symbols of empire such as street names, statues and institutions would be removed in a socialist republic to end occupation and imperialism in Ireland.

North Belfast DUP MLA Brian Kingston addressed the incident during a session of the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday. He described the vandalism as a disgraceful threat.

Kingston likened the act to cultural cleansing carried out by Islamic State militants in Syria, where they damaged pre-Islamic heritage sites including those at Palmyra.

He called for condemnation from Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey and the four Sinn Féin MLAs representing West Belfast.

The Royal Victoria Hospital serves as the main trauma centre for Belfast and surrounding areas. Staff there handle emergencies alongside routine medical services including maternity care. The facility received its name in 1899.