A Sinn Fein MP has apologised after he posted a video of himself balancing a Kingsmill-branded loaf of bread on his head – on the anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre.
Barry McElduff said the insensitive post was not intended as a reference to the republican murders of ten Protestant workmen on January 5, 1976 in County Armagh.
The Kingsmill brand is popular in Northern Ireland and shares its name with the village where one of the most notorious incidents of the Troubles took place.
Barry McElduff said the insensitive post was not intended as a reference to the republican murders of ten Protestant workmen on January 5, 1976
The tragic incident saw 10 people killed when gunmen stopped a van carrying textile workers on their way home, asked them for their religion, lined them up by the side of the road and executed them when they were found to be Protestant.
Just one of the 11 victims who were shot survived the barbaric attack.
In the video, posted onto Twitter, McElduff, the MP for West Tyrone, is seen walking around the shop with the loaf on his head, asking where the store stocked the bread.
The timing of the video has sparked huge debate, coming on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmill disaster.
Yet today, McElduff has since taken the video down and apologised.
He tweeted: ‘Have deleted video post. Had not realised or imagined for a second any possible link between product brand name and Kingsmill Anniversary.
‘Further, I apologise for any hurt or offence caused. Never my intention to offend anyone who has suffered grievously.’
DUP Assembly Member William Irwin has demanded an answer as to why the ‘bizarre’ video was posted online in the first place.
Irwin said: ‘Was it tomfoolery or a blatant insult to innocent victims?
‘The timing and brand of bread raises many questions about the motivation behind this video.
‘Given Sinn Fein’s repeated insensitivity to victims and glorification of terrorists, PIRA victims throughout the United Kingdom have interpreted this video as a calculated and deliberate insult.’
DUP leader also echoed the sentiment, tweeting: ‘Kingsmill victims were shot by the IRA after being asked their religion.Shame on any elected rep who posted that inhuman video. I feel sorry for IRA victims & West Tyrone who have McElduff as their MP.All murder was wrong. Glorifying any murderer is sickening. Mocking is depraved.’
Jim Allister, the TUV leader, said it was beyond the ‘bounds of credibility well beyond breaking point’ to say that the video was not posted as a delibrate reference to the Kingsmill attack.
Allister said: ‘Sinn Fein’s utter contempt for victims is clearly on display here,’ he said. ‘Any talk of equality or human rights from that party is once again exposed as so much cant and hypocrisy.’
David Taylor, an Ulster Unionist councillor, said McElduff was unfit to serve as an elected representative.
He said: ‘Barry McElduff really is beyond contempt and should be truly ashamed of himself for his actions.’
And Alliance Party leader Naomi Long tweeted: ‘I see you have deleted your video. Will you also explain what on earth you were thinking of, posting this on the anniversary of the Kingsmills Massacre?
‘Have you any apology to make to those victims & survivors deeply hurt by your antics whether deliberate or not?’
McElduff has taken down the post and apologised for the blunder
A man lays a wreath at the Kingsmill memorial in South Armagh (PA)