A Northern Ireland MP has said there is an organised and sinister campaign to disrupt the centrist Alliance party's efforts in the local and European elections next month. East Belfast MP Naomi Long pointed to the alleged mass theft of the party's posters in her constituency, nearby Strangford and Lisburn over the last few days. Alliance has been the target of grassroots loyalist anger after the party used its "balance-of-power" votes on Belfast city council to restrict the flying of the union flag over city hall last year.

Long also said that images had emerged on social networks over the weekend which showed two individuals in paramilitary style clothing where an Alliance poster had been stolen and replaced with a union jack. The Alliance party's first ever MP said they would not be silenced or intimidated by the campaign.

Long, who won a shock victory over the then sitting East Belfast MP, Democratic Unionist leader and first minister Peter Robinson during the last general election, said those behind the campaign are "frightened by the democratic process." She added: "While the removal of these posters is an attempt to intimidate Alliance, like previous similar attempts where we came under pressure from bully boys, we will not be deflected from standing up for what we believe in, from taking our message to the electorate and representing those who have elected us.

"We have reported these crimes to the police and would encourage anyone with information to do likewise. Not only is it theft, but it is also a punishable offence to interfere with an election in this manner."

The homes of Alliance councillors in the greater Belfast area and a number of the party's constituency advice centres have been attacked during loyalist protests against the restrictions on flying the union flag at Belfast city hall. It was the votes of Alliance councillors on Belfast city council that led to the end of the policy of flying the union flag 365 days per year. However, Alliance had managed to force through a compromise to allow the flag to be flown for 18 designated days such as the Queen's two birthdays. Sinn Fein and the SDLP on the council had been trying to prevent the union flag flying on any day over council premises.