James Nesbitt 'unnerved' by graffiti targeting him in Portrush

Police are treating graffiti targeting actor James Nesbitt as a hate crime.

The graffiti, written on a wall on Bushmills Road in Portrush, County Londonderry, featured a message mentioning the actor and had a crosshair painted next to it.

Politicians have condemned the message and have described it as an attempt to intimidate and stifle debate.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician Gregory Campbell said: "Jimmy Nesbitt is a local lad who has invested in his own community.

"Those painting threatening graffiti such as this should stop," said the MP, in whose East Londonderry constituency the graffiti was daubed.

"Their actions are wrong and to be condemned.

"I fundamentally disagree with Mr Nesbitt's position on Northern Ireland's future but he has every right to express his political views in whatever forum he wishes."

Writing on Twitter, former Northern Ireland First Minister Dame Arlene Foster said: "I totally condemn this attack on James Nesbitt even though I fundamentally disagree with him."

Caoimhe Archibald, a Sinn Féin assembly member for East Londonderry, said the graffiti was a "sinister effort to silence debate" and she called for those behind it to be held accountable.

The SDLP's Cara Hunter, who also represents the constituency, described the graffiti as "absolutely disgraceful".

"People are fully entitled to have their own beliefs without intimidation or threat," she added.

Police believe the graffiti was written on the wall sometime between 17:00 BST on Tuesday and 19:30 BST on Wednesday.

They want anyone with information about the incident to contact them.