Police are investigating criminal damage to a memorial in south Belfast dedicated to five people killed in the Sean Graham Bookmakers attack in 1992.

A report of damage to the memorial on the Ormeau Road was received on Thursday. Police said at around 4am, a male on a bicycle spray-painted the memorial plaque, causing considerable damage.

The PSNI is treating the incident as a sectarian motivated offence. Superintendent Finola Dornan said the incident has caused hurt and distress to bereaved families and the wider community.

Police are investigating a potential link between this incident and a report of criminal damage at the same memorial in September this year.

SDLP councillor Gary McKeown visited the memorial and said the community wants to live in peace. He described the vandalism as a blatant act of sectarianism causing extreme hurt to the victims' families.

McKeown said people are being denied the right to grieve in peace and called on those in positions of influence to condemn these attacks.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them, quoting reference 413 15/10/26.