Sinn Féin has been criticised by other Stormont parties for not signing a joint statement in response to the removal of Prison Service recruitment posters.
Political leaders from four of Northern Ireland's main parties released a statement opposing intimidation of prison officers and the PSNI and offering "full support" for recruitment campaigns.
It was in response to an online video showing Prison Service recruitment advertisements being removed from a bus stop in Derry by members of a republican group.
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The video also showed posters opposing the PSNI being put up.
The joint statement was released by DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, UUP leader Doug Beattie and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
It said: "We offer our full support to all those working within these services, and to the recruitment process under way within the Prison Service.
"There can be no place for those who engage in threats or intimidation towards those who serve the community as prison officers or within the PSNI.
"Those engaging in such tactics do not speak for the people who we represent as political leaders.
"We encourage everyone in our society to consider the PSNI and the NI Prison Service as valuable career opportunities."
Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill's name did not appear on the joint statement.
However, last week Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly released a statement condemning the destruction of posters.
He said: "The destruction of Prison Service posters in Derry, or political posters on bonfires, is absolutely wrong.
"Everyone should be able to carry out their work free from intimidation and harassment."
Sinn Féin said its "support for the Prison Service and the PSNI is consistent".
But DUP MLA Edwin Poots described Ms O'Neill not putting her name to the joint statement as a "backwards step".
He told the BBC's Nolan Show the republican party needed to "get off the fence" and "make it very clear that they do support this recruitment programme".
The former DUP leader added: "Seriously, if you're going to make this claim of being 'First Minister for all', then you need to follow it through with actions, and the actions do not follow that."
Alliance MLA Andrew Muir said it was "extremely disappointing" that Sinn Féin did not sign the joint statement and urged the party to provide "clarity".
He added: "I think you need to be clear in political life, not just in condemning what happened in terms of people removing Prison Service posters, but also you need to be clear in terms of encouraging people to apply for careers within the Police Service and the Prison Service, and supporting people in those professions."
Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said he was "bemused" by Sinn Féin not joining what he considered was a "pretty straightforward" statement.
The Upper Bann MLA said he believed it would have a "cooling effect" on encouraging people from republican backgrounds to join the police and Prison Service.
He said: "When we recruit prison officers, male and female in all aspects of the Prison Service, we want them to come from right across our community from all sections of our community."
A Sinn Féin spokesman said: "Sinn Féin's support for the Prison Service and the PSNI is consistent.
"There is no place for intimidation in our society and everyone, including all public servants, should be able to work free from intimidation.
"Sinn Féin’s policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly is on the record this weekend of condemning threats to Alliance Councillor Michael Long and his party colleagues for speaking out against sectarian and Nazi symbols associated with a loyalist bonfire, the flying of flags to intimidate and mark out territory and the destruction of the Prison Service poster."
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