DERRY City and Strabane District Council has called on local schools to ban British armed forces from school recruitment events.
A motion was put forward at a meeting of the council on Thursday.
It was proposed by independent councillor and leading dissident republican Gary Donnelly.
The motion was supported by 20 Sinn Féin and independent members – meaning the motion was passed by a simple majority.
Unionist councillors opposed the move while the SDLP abstained from the vote.
Councillor Donnelly’s proposal said: “Given the history of British imperialism in Ireland, this Council calls on local educational facilities for children and young people to refuse British Armed Forces access to children/pupils as part of their attempt to glamorise/recruit for their imperialist ventures.”
He said he put forward the motion to oppose Britain’s policy of recruiting “child soldiers”.
“Children at 16 can not smoke, drive or drink alcohol but they can be accepted into the Army, they can be stripped down psychologically and trained to kill,” he said.
Cllr Donnelly said he was disappointed by unionist reaction to the motion.
“Unionists have a duty to protect children too, particularly when it is working class, low income unionist areas that recruitment targets.”
DUP Foyle MLA Gary Middleton said the motion was “extremely divisive” and unenforceable.
“There is no evidence of respect or equality on display through motions or actions such as these.
“Not content with increasing tensions within the council there are now attempts to damage wider community relations through motions such as this,” he said.
“The council has absolutely no power to enforce this or tell local schools what to do,” added the MLA.
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