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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Racist gang attack family's home | Racist gang attack family's home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Romanian family has been targeted in a series of racist attacks in south Belfast. | A Romanian family has been targeted in a series of racist attacks in south Belfast. |
| A gang smashed windows and terrorised pregnant women and children in attacks on two houses on Belgravia and Wellesley avenues. | |
| Police have said they are investigating racist incidents and criminal damage in both areas over the last four days. | Police have said they are investigating racist incidents and criminal damage in both areas over the last four days. |
| A spokeswoman said a crowd gathered a number of times and windows were broken. | A spokeswoman said a crowd gathered a number of times and windows were broken. |
| There are no reports of injuries and no arrests have been made. | There are no reports of injuries and no arrests have been made. |
| SDLP councillor Niall Kelly said it was a "sickening" incident. | |
| "It is becoming more and more apparent that these attacks are more than just isolated incidents, but are part of an orchestrated attempt to force people from the area," he said. | |
| Alliance assembly member Anna Lo said they were contemptible "acts of intimidation and hate". | |
| "These thugs need to realise that it is people who carry out racist hate crimes who are not welcome in our society," she said. | |
| "People who can help police catch the perpetrators of these attacks must contact them immediately." | |
| 'Ignored' | |
| People living in the area are organising a protest against the attacks on the Lisburn Road on Monday evening. | People living in the area are organising a protest against the attacks on the Lisburn Road on Monday evening. |
| One neighbour told BBC News that the attacks have been ongoing for several nights. | One neighbour told BBC News that the attacks have been ongoing for several nights. |
| "There are children and pregnant women living in these houses," he said. | "There are children and pregnant women living in these houses," he said. |
| "My partner is Indian and we've also been targeted - our house has been bricked. | "My partner is Indian and we've also been targeted - our house has been bricked. |
| "The police were here 40 minutes last night before they spoke to the people who were actually attacked and they were only with them for five minutes. | "The police were here 40 minutes last night before they spoke to the people who were actually attacked and they were only with them for five minutes. |
| "More needs to be done. The whole thing has been been ignored to date." | "More needs to be done. The whole thing has been been ignored to date." |
| The man said anybody he had spoken to locally had been "appalled by what's been going on". | The man said anybody he had spoken to locally had been "appalled by what's been going on". |
| "There are also a lot of people, who aren't white, who are understandably frightened," he added. | "There are also a lot of people, who aren't white, who are understandably frightened," he added. |
| Combat 18 | Combat 18 |
| It has been claimed that up to 20 people gathered outside the properties which were attacked. | It has been claimed that up to 20 people gathered outside the properties which were attacked. |
| It is also alleged that those involved shouted Combat 18 slogans and a letter containing text from Hitler's Mein Kampf was pushed through the letterbox of one of the properties. | It is also alleged that those involved shouted Combat 18 slogans and a letter containing text from Hitler's Mein Kampf was pushed through the letterbox of one of the properties. |
| There have been racial tensions in the area since trouble erupted at a World Cup qualifier between Northern Ireland and Poland at Windsor Park in March. | There have been racial tensions in the area since trouble erupted at a World Cup qualifier between Northern Ireland and Poland at Windsor Park in March. |
| A number of migrant families subsequently decided to leave their homes. | A number of migrant families subsequently decided to leave their homes. |