Councillor Shaun Harkin said this kind of attack does not represent the people of the city:
“It’s reported that a young man suffered a vicious assault carried out because he was perceived to be a Protestant.
Any sectarian act hurts every person in this place. Sectarianism like all other forms of hatred must be fought against and never justified.
There has been an attempt by political forces to ramp-up sectarianism and to engage in relentless culture wars to scapegoat minorities in order to distract from the shambles that passes for governance in this place.
People Before Profit will always call for working-class unity and for a society that puts our collective interests over enforced divisions.
We send solidarity to the victim of this assault and we pledge to challenge all the forms of hatred that divide our communities and weaken our ability to speak with one voice against the injustices visited upon us.
There should be no place for sectarianism in Derry or anywhere else in the North.
An injury to one is an injury to all.“