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| Romanians leave NI after attacks | Romanians leave NI after attacks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| One hundred Romanians who fled their homes in Belfast after a spate of recent attacks have decided to leave Northern Ireland and return home. | One hundred Romanians who fled their homes in Belfast after a spate of recent attacks have decided to leave Northern Ireland and return home. |
| Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said 25 people had already left and a further 75 were going to leave as soon as they could. | Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said 25 people had already left and a further 75 were going to leave as soon as they could. |
| Mrs Ritchie said just 14 people had decided to stay in the country. | Mrs Ritchie said just 14 people had decided to stay in the country. |
| The Housing Executive has said it is paying for the families to return to Romania using emergency funds. | The Housing Executive has said it is paying for the families to return to Romania using emergency funds. |
| A spokesman for the Northern Ireland council for Ethnic Minorities said it was likely the remaining families would leave before the end of the week. | A spokesman for the Northern Ireland council for Ethnic Minorities said it was likely the remaining families would leave before the end of the week. |
| "We have all spoken to the the Romanian families and the majority of them want to go home," he said. | "We have all spoken to the the Romanian families and the majority of them want to go home," he said. |
| City Church, which last week provided temporary overnight shelter for the ethnic Roma, was targeted by vandals on Monday night. | City Church, which last week provided temporary overnight shelter for the ethnic Roma, was targeted by vandals on Monday night. |
| Three men, all aged 20, have been arrested in connection with the attack. | Three men, all aged 20, have been arrested in connection with the attack. |
| Pastor Malcolm Morgan said the church was covered in broken glass. | Pastor Malcolm Morgan said the church was covered in broken glass. |
| "I arrived this morning to find windows smashed at the front of our church and our main glass doorway smashed as well," he said. | "I arrived this morning to find windows smashed at the front of our church and our main glass doorway smashed as well," he said. |
| "Stones were lying scattered on the floor inside and outside and obviously broken glass was everywhere. | "Stones were lying scattered on the floor inside and outside and obviously broken glass was everywhere. |
| "It would be easy to conclude it was carried out by someone who didn't like our response to the Romanians, but that is only guess work. | "It would be easy to conclude it was carried out by someone who didn't like our response to the Romanians, but that is only guess work. |
| The church provided shelter for about 20 Romanian familes | The church provided shelter for about 20 Romanian familes |
| "We were just so thrilled that we were able to respond to the Romanian situation and these broken windows wouldn't have stopped us anyway." | "We were just so thrilled that we were able to respond to the Romanian situation and these broken windows wouldn't have stopped us anyway." |
| South Belfast assembly member Alex Maskey said the attack had been caught on CCTV cameras. | South Belfast assembly member Alex Maskey said the attack had been caught on CCTV cameras. |
| Mrs Ritchie said she was saddened, but not shocked at the incident. | Mrs Ritchie said she was saddened, but not shocked at the incident. |
| "The action of these mindless thugs greatly contrasts with the outpouring of warmth and generosity demonstrated by the people of Belfast toward the plight of the Romanians," she said. | "The action of these mindless thugs greatly contrasts with the outpouring of warmth and generosity demonstrated by the people of Belfast toward the plight of the Romanians," she said. |
| "This church community was the first to extend the hand of friendship and that makes it doubly disgraceful that it should be attacked." | "This church community was the first to extend the hand of friendship and that makes it doubly disgraceful that it should be attacked." |
| A 15-year-old boy appeared in court on Monday charged with the intimidation of Romanians living on Belgravia Avenue in south Belfast. | A 15-year-old boy appeared in court on Monday charged with the intimidation of Romanians living on Belgravia Avenue in south Belfast. |
| He was also accused, along with a 16-year-old boy, of provocative behaviour at an anti-racism rally in the city. | He was also accused, along with a 16-year-old boy, of provocative behaviour at an anti-racism rally in the city. |
| A 21-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the intimidation is due to appear in court later on Tuesday. | A 21-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the intimidation is due to appear in court later on Tuesday. |
| On Monday night, another two youths, aged 16 and 17, were arrested in connection with provocative conduct and intimidation. | On Monday night, another two youths, aged 16 and 17, were arrested in connection with provocative conduct and intimidation. |
| Police do not believe paramilitaries were involved in last week's attacks, which were condemned by all political parties. | Police do not believe paramilitaries were involved in last week's attacks, which were condemned by all political parties. |
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