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DUP MLA Jim Wells has been criticised for taking part in a political protest where some men appeared to be covering their faces.

The counter-demonstration in Ballynahinch was protesting at the holding of an election rally by Sinn Féin yesterday.

Mr Wells told the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's Nolan show that Ballynahinch is "a unionist town".

Sinn Féin accused unionists of travelling to the County Down town to shout abuse at its supporters.

Mr Wells has currently had the DUP whip withdrawn at the Assembly due to a disagreement with the party.

Asked about people at the rally hiding their faces, he said: "I think everybody had their hoods up yesterday because it was absolutely pouring."

The South Down MLA said he was standing at the front of the crowd and did not see people wearing masks.

"I was too busy speaking to to the police, I didn't see them," he told the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú.

He suggested that some people may not have wanted their faces to appear in the newspapers.

Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard said the unionist demonstrators had come to Ballynahinch "to shout abuse at Sinn Féin representatives and members of the local community".

He said the party's council candidate, Marianne Cleary, had been subjected to a "barrage of sectarian abuse and personal vitriol".

Mr Wells claimed there was "a direct link between Sinn Féin and republican terrorism".

"Ballynahinch was wrecked by an IRA bomb. There are quite a few widows and orphans in Ballynahinch as a result of IRA terrorism," he said.

Asked about allegations that people in the crowd who had shouted the word "scum" at Sinn Féin supporters, Mr Wells said that was true but he would never use the phrase himself.

The MLA said that "nothing happened" in Ballynahinch on Sunday, "there were two peaceful demonstrations".

In 2017, Mr Wells was criticised for describing another County Down town, Rathfriland, as "unionist".

He was complaining about another Sinn Féin rally.

"They are not welcome in this unionist town - particularly on a Sunday," the MLA tweeted.