THE iconic landmark Free Derry Corner has been repainted to reflect the widespread outrage and revulsion felt at the savage murder of Lyra McKee last week.
The famous civil rights-era slogan on a gable wall is regularly altered to reflect community sentiment in the Bogside estate in Londonderry.
The city’s Catholic bishop has said the nationalist community needs to be liberated from dissident republicans blamed for Miss McKee’s shooting on Thursday evening.
A message at Free Derry Corner said: “Not in our name, RIP Lyra” with a heart painted beside it.
Police have arrested two teenagers they suspect are members of the dissident republican New IRA involved in shooting the young journalist in the head.
A gunman aiming to kill police hit the 29-year-old. He fired indiscriminately during disturbances in the Creggan estate.
Bishop Donal McKeown told BBC Radio Ulster’s Sunday Sequence programme: “The one liberation they require in that community is liberation from Saoradh.”
Saoradh, translating to liberation in Irish, is a grouping which has the support of the dissident republican group the New IRA.
Bishop McKeown added: “We don’t want to be laboured with a reputation that comes from a small group that represents a small number of people but is actually a danger to all of us.”
Floral tributes have been piling up at the lamppost where Miss McKee fell, including one written to “beautiful Lyra” from her partner Sara Canning.
A close friend said her death leaves a void which will never be filled, but she hopes it will bring an end to gun violence in the city and meet the expectations of the victim’s peace process generation.
A new breed of terrorist is coming through the ranks in Northern Ireland, the detective leading the hunt for her killers has said.
PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said terrorists are lurking in the shadows, frightening and holding to ransom those they claim to represent.
He said there has been a sea-change in community attitudes towards the New IRA gunmen.
Mr Murphy conceded there remains fear of reprisals from the shadowy gunmen for giving information to police.
Detective Supt Jason Murphy and Derry police commander Supt Alan Hutton with update to press on Lyra McKee murder inquiry
Around 50 petrol bombs were thrown in the confrontation and two cars were burned out.
A planned parade by dissident republicans for Easter Monday has been cancelled following the brutal and barbaric murder of Lyra.
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