Sectarian attacks

[Harry]

An arson attack on a Protestant-owned house in Ballymena is being treated as sectarian, police have said.

The blaze at the property in the Dunclug estate was reported at 2115 BST on Sunday evening.

Nobody was in the house at the time of the attack, but the property was extensively damaged in the fire.

Pamela Dawson, a niece of the family, said: "It's the 12th of July and they're just wanting them out. There's not many Protestants left in Dunclug."

"They have lived there for a long, long time and they have had their windows in nearly every weekend. So it is not just the fire this week, it has been happening a long time," she said.

Colin Dickson from the Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was intense and it was an hour before firefighters were able to extinguish it.

"The house had a well-developed fire. The firefighters had to face intense heat to search the premises to make sure no-one was trapped inside," he said.

[Harry]

News Report

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8148164.stm

[Harry]

There has been an attack on an Orange hall in north Antrim.

Police have said they are investigating a petrol bomb attack on the hall in Dunloy, near Ballymoney.

Minor scorch damage was caused to the building. Graffiti was also daubed on a wall. The attack was reported to police in the early hours of Tuesday.

The hall has been targeted several times recently, including a paint bomb and graffiti attack at the end of last week.

DUP assembly member Mervyn Storey said the graffiti was sinister.

"It says on the gable end of the hall 'no third warning stay out' then we have the caricature of a terrorist with a balaclava and a gun and a bullet coming out of the end of that weapon

"This is a clear threat to the lives of the band and the hall who use this facility," he said.

The attack was also condemned by SDLP assembly member Declan O'Loan, who said such incidents were a "clear setback for the whole community".

"But the number of people who actually want a return to constant division is tiny and the wider community, which clearly wants and votes for a shared future, must assert itself more strongly," he said.

There have also been a series of sectarian attacks in north Antrim over the last week, with Catholic churches, Orange halls and private homes being attacked.

[earl]

Disgusting behaviour.

[Harry]

A PREGNANT woman who is due to give birth today became the latest victim of sectarian violence last night.
She was left badly shocked when windows in her home on the Lower Newtownards Road in Belfast were broken, in an attack being blamed on republicans.

The woman was putting her other child to bed when her home was hit by bricks and ball bearings fired from a catapult, shortly before 9pm, from the Short Strand.

The attack came as republican dissidents were being blamed for violence after Twelfth parades which left 23 police officers injured.

Police said children were used in the trouble in Ardoyne during which a shot was fired and petrol and blast bombs were hurled at officers.

Last night's attack took place at a new housing development close to the nationalist Short Strand.

An eyewitness, Maggie Hutton, said the youths used the grounds of St Matthew's Catholic Church to launch the attack.

"The nationalists were using the church grounds and trees for cover to get as close as they could to the houses.

"There also seemed to be an older man directing the youths, telling them to get closer and pointing out the houses he wanted them to hit.
"People came out in support of the girl and they are worried that people won't want to live there now.

"She's the first person to move into what is a new development and has only been there about a week and so the community is concerned that families won't move into the houses after this."

Police said they had reports of stones and golf balls being thrown in the Short Strand and Lower Newtownards Road area, but the area appeared to be calm after 10pm.

Meanwhile, two buses carrying Crusaders Football Club supporters were hit with petrol bombs and other missiles in Lurgan last night. The club was playing a European tie in the town.

One of the buses had two windows broken while both suffered scorch damage.
Club spokesman Alistair Montogomery said the supporters on the bus were left badly shaken.

The two buses were carrying supporters from the Monkstown and Newtownabbey clubs and were attacked as they left the ground by youths in the hospital grounds.

"Two windows came in on one of the buses, and while nobody was injured, they were left pretty badly shaken up."
Motorists were warned to avoid the Drumbeg area of Craigavon last night after reports of youths throwing stones and attempting to stop cars.

The full article contains 420 words and appears in News Letter newspaper.

[Harry]

ORANGEMEN and supporters travelling to the Rossnowlagh parade in Donegal at the weekend, were shocked by sectarian slogans in a small border village in the Republic.
The words "No Marching", "Brits out" and "**** off orangemen" were painted across the breadth of the street in Ballintra, through which many of the parade supporters passed.

Kerbs were painted green, white and gold, with tricolour flags flying from several poles in the village, which held a small parade prior to the main event in Rossnowlagh on Saturday.

An Irish flag was also painted on the Orange Hall in the village while most of the graffiti centred around the local Methodist Church.
One man who spoke to the News Letter described the graffiti as worse than anything he had seen in Northern Ireland.

The man who did not wish to be named said: "There was graffiti painted from the top to the bottom of the road.

"I have seen bad graffiti in Northern Ireland, but that takes the cake. It is a mixed area, and I have no doubt that it will bring ill-feeling."
Grand Master of the Donegal Branch of the Orange Order, David Mahon said he had received calls of support from across the local community in Donegal:

"I have had many calls from all sections of the community. Many of them wished to dissociate themselves from what was written, while others gave their support to the Order", said Mr Mahon.

The Grand Master, who himself hails from Ballintra, labelled the graffiti as an 'attack on Protestantism'.
"Ballintra is a mixed village, and we have never had any real bother in the village before. There may have been the odd slogan written, but nothing on this scale.

"This is an attack on Protestantism, plain and simply. I firmly believe that those responsible for this represent a very small percentage of the people.

"We had a great Twelfth in Rossnowlagh this year, and I am sure that this small minority who did this will not have any impact on our future celebrations here in Donegal."

He added: "What these people do not realise is the damage that they are doing to their own community, and I know the people of Ballintra are totally against this."

Sinn Féin representative Jim McLaughlin condemned the incident unreservedly. "This vandalism in Ballintra is completely unacceptable and must be condemned. The defacing of the area around the church, a place of worship, is a disgrace", he said.

The full article contains 417 words and appears in n/a newspaper.

[Wasp]

I thought this type of thing was only limited to us bigots in N.Ireland?? SF/IRA created this monster so I can only hope this monster turns on them.

[earl]

I know you like to blame SF for everything WASP, but I would sooner believe that it was a couple of idiots who misread a history book, had a chip on their shoulder and went out and wrecked the place.
To quote the Grand master of Donegal:
"Ballintra is a mixed village, and we have never had any real bother in the village before. There may have been the odd slogan written, but nothing on this scale."
What these people do not realise is the damage that they are doing to their own community, and I know the people of Ballintra are totally against this."

this would suggest that this behaviour is not common and not popular.

[Harry]

A elderly woman whose west Belfast home was attacked by youths throwing rocks and stones says she and her brother could have been killed.

Mary Hanna, 70, lives and cares for her brother George, 80, at Workman Avenue off the Springfield Road.

They are Catholics but live on the Protestant side of the peace line and have been targeted three times in eight days by nationalist youths.

Windows have been smashed and the pensioners' car has been damaged.

On Monday night, the landing window was broken and the house was littered with glass and up to 20 rocks, as well as broken bottles. Tiles on the roof were also shattered.

"It's got to the stage that we're afraid to put a light on at the back in case they see the house," Miss Hanna said.

"I'm angry, I was frightened. We didn't know what else was coming. We could have been killed out there tonight. I'm not exaggerating. The amount of stuff that came down."

She said she and her brother had moved into the area in 1968 and were happy there with good neighbours. But now she is not sure that her brother could remain there.

'Sectarian'

"We have been here for such a long time, you know, we lived right on the front of the road until 1968 then came over here," she said.

"This was our playground, we knew everybody - it wasn't as if we were strangers coming into the area.

"It is absolutely ridiculous that you can't live at peace in your own home.

"It is so wrong. The parents must know what they're at. I don't care who says they don't. They must."

North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland said the attacks were sectarian.

He said nationalist youths had been crossing from the Springfield Road to attack houses in the area.

"Such attacks are deeply upsetting for anyone but especially for senior citizens and I am glad that community workers have called with the pensioners to provide some support and reassurance," he said.

"Everyone should be able to live in their homes without the threat of sectarian attack."

[Harry]

Lads if you wouldn't mind updating this thread with any reported sectarian attacks. I'd like to see how many pages we get to before the end of the year??

Sectarianism is rife on both sides

[Harry]

A pipe bomb has been thrown at a house in Antrim.

The device caused damage to the front of the property in the mixed Brantwood Gardens area.

A Catholic family-of-five were home at the time of the attack, which happened shortly before 0400 BST on Friday, but were not injured.

A claim of responsibility was made to a local media outlet by a loyalist grouping.

The family is said to have lived in the Greystone area of the town for more than 20 years and suffered no abuse in the past.

'Determined to stay'

Ulster Unionist Party councillor Adrian Watson said the house had been badly damaged in the attack.

"I have spoken to some of the neighbours and Brantwood is a very quiet, peaceful, mixed community and really this is the first occasion that anything like this has happened in this community," he said.

"I've spoken to the mother and daughter and they are at a loss as to why this would have happened. They are determined to stay - it has been their family home for over 20 years."

SDLP assembly member Thomas Burns said the attack was "totally senseless and bewildering".

"This area is a very mixed and well respected part of Antrim and this attack has been met with shock and condemnation in equal measure," he said.

"The family are well thought of and totally shocked that this should happen to them."

Detectives said they want to speak to two young males seen on bicycles, milkmen or anyone who was working in the area at the time.

They added that they could not rule out paramilitary involvement at this stage of their investigations.

[Harry]

A FAMILY narrowly escaped injury in a pipe bomb attack on their home in Antrim yesterday.
The device was thrown at the Catholic family's house at about 3.45am yesterday in the Brantwood Gardens area of the town.

The Mayor of Antrim, UUP councillor Adrian Watson, condemned the attack and said the Quinn family were well respected and lived in what he described as a quiet, mixed-religion private housing development.

Paddy Quinn says his family have lived in the area for 24 years and he was at a loss to explain why they had been attacked. He and his wife have three children, aged 15, 20 and 21.

"It was about 3.45am I had fallen asleep on the sofa," he said. "Normally I would be up for work around this time. The next thing I knew everything had come in around me. The room was full of smoke and there was glass all over the place.

"The police said it was two young fellas on bicycles," he said. "They weren't big, probably 16 plus."

His wife said: "We just can't believe this has happened. There is glass stuck to the walls and ceiling, but there is nobody hurt, that is the main thing.

"We have had support from all the neighbours, people of all creeds have come and helped us clean up. People from all walks of life, they have been absolutely brilliant.

"This is a quite mixed area, everyone gets along with each other. The neighbours are now asking who is going to be next."

Mr Quinn said the only reason he can think they had been attacked might be because his two sons play for the local GAA club. He is also a GAA referee who has taken some high profile games in the past but not in recent months.

The couple said the device used to attack them had been a pipe bomb.

Detectives have appealed for anybody in the area at the time to come forward. They want to speak to two young men seen on bicycles. They also hope to speak to any milkmen who may have been in the vicinity. Police have not ruled out paramilitary involvement and are considering a sectarian motive.

Mr Watson said: "It is just devastating for them. The house has been very well managed and kept and they were proud of their home.

"This is something which has just shocked them, they have not had problems like this here before."

He continued: "I would condemn this utterly. We don't want to see anything like this, there is no justification for taking this action against a totally innocent family."

Antrim PUP representative Ken Wilkinson said he had visited the Quinn family. "We totally condemn this attack," he said. "The people I represent have moved on and I also understand that UDA representatives in Antrim feel exactly the same way. Dissidents of any type have nothing to offer the community."

A group describing itself as "the South Antrim Company of the Real UFF" claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for dissident republican activity. It is understood to be the second time the "Real UFF" name has been used to claim paramilitary activity in Antrim in recent weeks.

[Harry]

SECURITY Minister Paul Goggins will be asked to detail his plans to tackle the growing sectarian attacks which have forced Protestant families from their North Antrim homes.
Assemblyman Mervyn Storey said he feared a second village in his constituency will be left with no Protestant families, unless urgent security measures are taken.

The DUP MLA who will meet with Mr Goggins on Monday, blamed dissident republicans in the area for the recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls and homes in Dunloy and Rasharkin.

"Over recent times, we have witnessed a spate of sectarian attacks carried out against the minority Protestant population of Rasharkin and those who use the Orange Hall in Dunloy", said Mr Storey.

"It is a matter of deep regret and indeed shame that through sectarian intimidation and threats, there now isn't a single Protestant family left in Dunloy village. Threats and use of violence must not be allowed to do the same in Rasharkin."

Mr Storey said: "I will be looking for funding to be made available for CCTV to protect Orange Halls and identify perpetrators of arson or vandalism attacks. People in Dunloy and Rasharkin want to live in peace."

His Sinn Fein counterpart, Daithi McKay said he was not opposed to additional security measures, but called for a measured approach.

"There is no question that there is serious problem in North Antrim. I have no problem with additional security measures, as long they are measured.

"If we are going to have CCTV at Orange Halls, then we also need to consider the attacks on the GAA grounds."

On Thursday night, GAA clubrooms at Armoy were damaged in an arson attack.

A window was smashed at Glen Rovers' premises before petrol was poured in and set alight.

However, the fire failed to take hold as the petrol had been poured into a shower room.

The club secretary Olcan Devlin said although the building suffered relatively minor scorch and smoke damage, it had left him angry.

"I'm disgusted, cross really, because although it's our clubroom, upstairs is leased out," he said.

"So it's not really an attack on the hurling club, it's an attack on the whole community."

[Harry]

A school in north Belfast has been attacked by arsonists for the second time in the space of a month.

A number of attempts were made to set fire to the canteen at St Mary Star of the Sea Primary School on Shore Road and paint was thrown over the building.

Two weeks ago, fires were started in different parts of the Catholic primary school and paint and sectarian graffiti was spattered over the building.

Police have appealed for people living near schools to be vigilant.

Martin McDonald of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said the fire alarm went off at about 0200 BST on Wednesday.

He said two attempts had been made to set fire to the dining room which was filled with smoke when crews arrived.

"My concern would be that whenever we are attending these types of incidents, as with any arson or deliberate fires, it ties up our resources, which could be needed elsewhere," he said.

SDLP councillor Pat Convery said it was a "disgusting attack on the whole community".

"Sadly, some people feel a school is now a viable target and that is a terrible reflection on our society," he said.

It was the latest in a spate of arson attacks on schools in the greater Belfast area in recent weeks.

Much of Whitehouse Primary School on the Doagh Road, Newtownabbey, was destroyed in a fire earlier this month.

In the west of the city, a fire at a former school - La Salle Boys' School - on the Glen Road was treated as suspicious.

[Wasp]

Published Date: 25 July 2009 By Michael McGlade

SECURITY Minister Paul Goggins will be asked to detail his plans to tackle the growing sectarian attacks which have forced Protestant families from their North Antrim homes.

Assemblyman Mervyn Storey said he feared a second village in his constituency will be left with no Protestant families, unless urgent security measures are taken.

The DUP MLA who will meet with Mr Goggins on Monday, blamed dissident republicans in the area for the recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls and homes in Dunloy and Rasharkin.

"Over recent times, we have witnessed a spate of sectarian attacks carried out against the minority Protestant population of Rasharkin and those who use the Orange Hall in Dunloy", said Mr Storey.

"It is a matter of deep regret and indeed shame that through sectarian intimidation and threats, there now isn't a single Protestant family left in Dunloy village. Threats and use of violence must not be allowed to do the same in Rasharkin."

Mr Storey said: "I will be looking for funding to be made available for CCTV to protect Orange Halls and identify perpetrators of arson or vandalism attacks. People in Dunloy and Rasharkin want to live in peace."

His Sinn Fein counterpart, Daithi McKay said he was not opposed to additional security measures, but called for a measured approach.

"There is no question that there is serious problem in North Antrim. I have no problem with additional security measures, as long they are measured.

"If we are going to have CCTV at Orange Halls, then we also need to consider the attacks on the GAA grounds."

On Thursday night, GAA clubrooms at Armoy were damaged in an arson attack.

A window was smashed at Glen Rovers' premises before petrol was poured in and set alight.

However, the fire failed to take hold as the petrol had been poured into a shower room.

The club secretary Olcan Devlin said although the building suffered relatively minor scorch and smoke damage, it had left him angry.

"I'm disgusted, cross really, because although it's our clubroom, upstairs is leased out," he said.

"So it's not really an attack on the hurling club, it's an attack on the whole community."

The full article contains 367 words and appears in News Letter newspaper.
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