Richard Sullivan
Today at 06:04
Some residents in Lisburn’s Altona Drive say they are being targeted in late night ‘drive-bys’.
Reports claim cars routinely drive round the area late night and in the early hours of the morning singling out homes by shining bright lights through windows and front doors.
Sources in the area have described it as “blatant intimidation”.’
“How else can you describe it, they are picking out people they know are not Protestant, it’s very frightening.
“They do it late at night, under the cover of darkness – cowards.”
It is the latest tactic in a prolonged campaign of intimidation aimed at the Choice Housing Association.
The mixed housing development has been targeted in recent weeks with the erection of flags on lampposts. Leaflets have been posted through doors warning people it is a Protestant estate.
One man said he was told if anyone removed the flags, “their house will be burnt”.
The campaign has been orchestrated by elements within the UDA. The Sunday World reports that while the leadership has not formally sanctioned the action, they have done nothing to stop it.
Lisburn falls under the command of the UDA’s south Belfast Brigadier Jackie McDonald.
“If he wanted, McDonald could stop this tomorrow – the people doing this don’t even live in Altona Drive, they’re coming from outside the area,” said our source.
The source added residents did not support what is going on. “This is a beautiful development, and people just want to live in peace, there’s no issue among the residents as far as I understand.”
The source added that there was disappointment among residents at the response from Choice and from the police in light of the intimidation.
Last weekend a group of men entered Altona Drive and Altona Gardens and put up Union flags on the lampposts, despite the majority of residents saying they did not want the flags there. It came just weeks after a number of residents received threatening letters claiming to be from a loyalist paramilitary group. However, residents say that they were assured by Choice Housing, prior to moving into their properties, that the £16 million mixed religion development was for people of all backgrounds and that flags would not be permitted there.
But they claim that the housing association U-turned on this the first time that any issue took place and have told residents that there is nothing that it is able to do.
“It’s not good enough,” said one resident, “we were sold a vision and the reality is nothing like what we were told. Choice and the police need to step up to the mark.’’
Police have said that a man in his 30s has been arrested in connection with reports of residents being threatened in Altona Drive.
He has since been released on bail to allow for further police inquiries.
An investigation is also ongoing into reports of threatening letters and the flags being erected on the street.
In a statement, a Choice Housing Association spokesperson said: “Altona is a mixed development in terms the types of accommodation and households.
“There are general needs houses and apartments, properties for those over the age of 55 and accommodations adapted for wheelchair users.
“The safety and well-being of all our tenants is our top priority.
“Choice staff have been in Altona Drive and Gardens in recent days engaging with tenants and we take all reports very seriously. We would urge any tenant who is concerned for their safety to contact the PSNI.”
by pickneyboy3000
17 comments
Looking forward to the condemnation from the unionist parties
>Lisburn falls under the command of the UDA’s south Belfast Brigadier Jackie McDonald.
…
Why would Kneecap do this?
Seriously we can’t go back to living this way again.
Kneecap at it again, eh?
So, we know the name and where the “commander” of the area lives. Why isn’t he in jail for belonging to a proscribed organisation and directing terrorism?
The ordinary protestant people need to organise against this shit or it will never stop.
weird how dissident republicans are so badly infiltrated they can’t make a sandwich without security forces knowing but the leader of a loyalist terrorist organisation can be named by a tabloid including the area he commands and yet he’s still free to do whatever he wants.
What a bunch of sad bastards. Imagine grown men getting on like this. Pathetic
” dont mind us hi, just marking out our territory. Now, excuse me while I sniff me muckers arse “
Loyalists in Lisburn are afraid of nationalists and Republicans encroaching from west Belfast. I’d bet any money this is what is fuelling this latest wave of sectarian intimidation.
When Poleglass and Twinbrook were planned mainstream Unionism staged protests opposing them because they were too close to Lisburn. This is just a continuation.
who would’ve thought that an apartheid culture turn out so many bad eggs
That’s what they do best. But in few years they will be in a different position and they will cry like bitches
Retaliation drive by mass
The 80’s/90’s all over again. No state backing this time though.
To be fair, we wouldn’t let Unionist / Protestant / Brits move into our areas. As far as I know, that is a traditionally orange area so I kind of understand their resistance to change. It also shows that we’re right not to let them move into our areas. They are the scum of the earth.
There needs to be some CCTV setup get the faces and plates. Or if they are council housing, move them around and make the area more mixed.
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