Allison Morris
Today at 06:06
Children as young as eight were involved in racist attacks that forced a family to flee their home in east Belfast.
Video footage shows young people — some of primary school age — attacking a woman with stones and shouting hate-filled abuse.
After being targeted two nights in a row by the yobs gathered at a bonfire on London Road, the family have now left the area.
They had been living in the house for around six months, having moved to Belfast after securing work.
The property was attacked by a gang of youths over the weekend and the PSNI was called.
Eye witnesses said that despite police officers speaking to those who were involved, there were no arrests.
The family were still hopeful that they could remain in their home.
However, after being targeted for a second night they have now left.
The woman had tried to reason with those who attacked her as she walked home from work — but was hit in the face with a piece of mortar.
She was also abused with a racist slur by older men, who told her to leave the area because she “wasn’t welcome”.
Locals say anti-social behaviour in the area gets worse in July as crowds of youths gather at the bonfire.
The PSNI said: “Police are investigating a report of an assault in the London Road area of east Belfast on Sunday, July 7.
“A woman was walking home from work at around 8.30pm when up to six young people started throwing objects in her direction.
“She was struck on the face by a piece of mortar, leaving a minor injury.
“This is being treated as a racially-motivated hate crime and enquiries are ongoing at this time.
“There was an earlier report of anti-social behaviour in the same area on Saturday, July 6, with water balloons being thrown at a householder. This is also being treated as a racially-motivated hate incident.
“Anyone who may have witnessed the assault or has any information that could assist police in their enquiries is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 1483 07/07/24.”
The increase in crime in the area is being linked to the bonfire.
Residents say this is likely to be the last year the pyre will be situated at the site after permission was granted for a mix of social housing and apartments at the location.
In April Belfast City Council’s planning committee approved the new residential development of 115 apartment and duplexes, including 27 social housing units.
The area has been plagued by anti-social behaviour in recent years.
A local apartment block has had its windows smashed on a number of occasions and is now boarded up.
It’s claimed many of the young people flocking to the bonfire site do not live in the area, but come from outside.
The locality is also littered with rubbish due to constant fly-tipping.
The latest racist outrage comes as families allocated newly built homes in Ballycraigy in Antrim are still awaiting assurances they are safe to move into the properties.
Union flags and painted kerbstones appeared at the entrance of the development earlier this month.
This was followed by some of the houses being vandalised, with ‘locals only’ graffiti being painted on them.
A number of families were warned that there were threats to their safety from loyalists if they moved in.
While the family of Jessy Clarke (9), who has spina bifida, hydrocephalus, scoliosis and autism, was told they could move into a home that was specially built to suit his needs, others have still not had assurances from loyalists that they will not be targeted.
A man aged 30 was arrested in Ballycraigy this week in relation to several race-hate and sectarian incidents in Antrim in recent weeks.
He was later bailed as the police continue their enquiries into the offending.
The arrest followed attacks on properties in Redford Grove on Sunday, June 30, including the one specially built to accommodate Jessy, whose family had been on the housing waiting list for years.
A local bonfire group was said to be in consultation to try and resolve the issue, and while Jessy’s family were given assurances, other families allocated the homes have still not been given guarantees on their safety.
by columboscoat