North Belfast Alliance Councillor Nuala McAllister has branded the attack on a memorial to the 1971 IRA killing of three Scottish soldiers on the 50th anniversary of the murders as a “despicable act of vandalism”.

The memorial, in the Squire’s Hill area of north Belfast, was placed in memory of three members of the Royal Highland Fusilliers who were killed by the IRA on 10 March 1971.

“Today, my thoughts are with the families of the victims. It is absolutely devastating anyone would carry out this despicable act of vandalism, which achieves nothing except increasing tensions,” she said.

“To have a shared future for all it is vital that we have respect and behave responsibly and this is neither.

“I would appeal to anyone with information on this incident to contact police immediately as those behind this must be brought to justice.”