The office of Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland (CWGNI) has been closed amid online threats over a proposal to change the flag that represents the region’s athletes.
CWGNI chief executive Conal Heatley said the office in Belfast would be closed for a few days while a security assessment is conducted.
He said the move came after threatening messages were directed at the office online and some of his personal details appeared on social media.
The threats emerged following publicity over a proposal to replace the Ulster Banner flag currently used to represent Northern Ireland athletes participating in the Commonwealth Games.
Mr Heatley said the proposal reflected concerns that the flag, which does not have any official status in Northern Ireland, is not representative of or embraced by the whole community in the region.
In an interview with the News Letter, Mr Heatley also said the flag had been used in the recent targeting of homes of members of ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland, insisting that was “not something we want to be associated with”.
Regarding the threats, Mr Heatley told BBC News NI the organisation had received some “threatening and abusive language on social media” over the past couple of days.
“For the safety of staff and the public who may be using the office, we have decided to keep it closed for the next few days and have reported those to the police,” he said.
On Tuesday, DUP minister Gordon Lyons said the proposal to change the flag was “ill-advised” and should be scrapped.
Social Development Minister Mr Lyons, who has responsibility for sporting issues, said he had not been consulted about the issue.
“I have to say, I believe that the campaign we are currently hearing about is ill-advised at best,” he told the Assembly.
“I was concerned to learn about the discussion and consideration of changing the flag. As we have seen at the Olympics, our athletes have always kept their focus on sport and were able to represent Northern Ireland, and politics wasn’t made anything of.
“Unfortunately, I think politics has been dragged into this now. This was something I’ve not been consulted on.
“If I had been consulted, I would have made it very clear that I do not think that we should be upsetting the status quo on this, that we have had athletes that have been very happy to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games.
“They should continue to be allowed to do so. I think that it’s best for everyone involved if this was just to be put to bed.”
A PSNI spokesman said: “We do not comment on the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this, however, police will take appropriate action when made aware of anything that may put an individual at risk.”
