Rasharkin

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Petrol bomb attack; shotgun cartridge posted through letterbox in Rasharkin

RASHARKIN was back in the news this week across the UK and beyond for all the wrong reasons following two incidents being treated as sectarian by police.
A petrol bomb was lobbed at the home of the Catholic mother of Northern Ireland and Fulham footballer Chris Baird at Wallace Park facing onto the Main Street in Rasharkin and then a shotgun cartridge with a chilling warning declaring 'Get Out Protestant Scum' was put through the letter box of a Protestant household in Belmont Park.

And now it has emerged a Protestant woman who lived at Main Street has left her home after police informed her on September 10 that they were in receipt of anonymous information that she would be attacked by 'an unknown Catholic group' if she didn't flee within 48 hours. The latest incidents have once again catapulted Rasharkin into the media spotlight.

It remains unclear why the attack at Wallace Park happened. One possible theory is that it was an attack by loyalists on a random Catholic home which faces onto the Main Street so a quick getaway was possible. Another possible motive being put forward by some is that the attack was actually carried out by Republicans opposed to Chris Baird playing for Northern Ireland.
Police sources said they are unaware of the motive but one said: "It looks more likely that it was a loyalist attack."
A PSNI spokesman would only confirm that they are investigating 'sectarian' motives for both incidents at Wallace Park and Belmont Park.

A spokesman said: "These incidents were obviously very frightening for the people involved. Around 3.45am on Sunday a petrol bomb was thrown at the front of a house at Wallace Park causing scorch damage and cracking the outer pane of double-glazing. Two females were in the house and there could have been tragic consequences if a fire had developed.."
It is understood Chris Baird's mother and sister were in the house which was also damaged at the end of August.

The PSNI spokesman added: "Around 9.30pm on Sunday at Belmont Park a woman got a letter through her letterbox with a shotgun cartridge in it along with a threatening message. Items were seized for forensic examination."

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DUP meets Baggott over Rasharkin

A DUP delegation from north Antrim met with the chief constable yesterday to discuss various issues in the constituency including community tension in Rasharkin.
North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jnr attended the meeting along with MLAs Mervyn Storey and Paul Frew.

Speaking afterwards, the MP described the attacks in Rasharkin as “blatantly sectarian” and said that whilst no one has been killed so far “unless they are taken seriously and brought to an end there will undoubtedly be a fatality”.

Mr Paisley said there are a small number of republicans in the town who wanted to “ethnically cleanse” Protestants from the village and added: “Whilst the police has a role in bringing this violence to an end, ultimately the only people who can ensure it stops are the people perpetrating the violence.

“I have reassured the police that, as a party, we will stand foursquare against all forms of violence in Rasharkin.”

Mervyn Storey described the meeting with Matt Baggott as “very useful” and said it was a “good opportunity to raise the genuine concerns around a number of issues”.

Mr Storey said: “We were able to raise the issue of police resources and the new police station for Ballymoney, for example.”

Last Sunday a petrol bomb was thrown at the Rasharkin family home of Northern Ireland and Fulham Catholic footballer Chris Baird – on the same day as a bullet was put through the letterbox of a Protestant woman’s home in the village.

Mr Storey believes the situation in the village is not a “lost cause”.

“If everyone is sincere in their revulsion, at all of the attacks, then there’s no reason why we can’t be optimistic about the future.”