https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv7vy9d859o

Politicians in north Belfast have said they are making "constructive" progress in their efforts to find a solution to racist and sectarian attacks in the area.

BBC News NI has learned that a young mother from the catholic community fled her home three weeks ago, claiming her children were subjected to sectarian abuse.

It comes as politicians and community representatives met on Tuesday morning just days after a number of homes were attacked in racially-motivated crimes in the Lower Oldpark area.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and a number of other agencies also attended the meeting at the Girdwood community hub.
Children in park threatened by adults

The mother of four young children, who wishes to remain anonymous because of fears for the safety of her family, lived in a new development at Annalee Street in the Lower Oldpark area of North Belfast.

The homes of several catholic families who lived along the same street were damaged during sectarian attacks in May.

Some families moved away from the street at the time.

The mother told BBC News NI her family fled their home three weeks ago.

She said her children "were threatened in the park by adults" and warned that if they didn't get out of the park "they would be trailed out".

The woman, who broke down on numerous occasions while speaking to the BBC, said she was then subjected to sectarian abuse, and was later told a threat had been made that her home would be attacked with pipe bombs.

"So, I just left that night, and then I had nowhere else to go, only for friends and family for over two weeks," she said.

"I had all my bags and clothes in the boot of the car, and then I got temporary accommodation on Friday, a two-bed flat which has me and four kids in".

She added, "My wee lad's terrified".
Close shot of lower level of a red brick house, and a smashed lower level window, covered in plywoodImage source, Pacemaker
Image caption,

A number of families left their homes on Annalee Street in May after they were attacked

Asked how she feels about having to move out of her new home in the new development, she said she was "absolutely gutted".

"I was waiting years on a house, and then all the money I put into it too to get it done for me and the kids and had to leave".

She said she had good relationships with everyone on the street and believes the intimidation and threats came from people from "around that area, not in the street".

She added: "It's terrible. I didn't think in 2025 this would all be still happening. My kids were traumatised because of it, and they didn't have a clue about what's catholic and what's protestants."
01:34
Media caption,

John Finucane hosted a meeting on Tuesday with agencies and politicians to address the recent racist and sectarian attacks.
'Paramilitary element'

The multi-agency meeting on Tuesday was arranged by the Sinn Féin MP, John Finucane, who said all cross-community representatives were given reassurances by the police around their response to the recent attacks and threats.

He said the police assured everyone at the meeting that they are taking the attacks "very seriously".

The MP said: "I want to see more people brought before the criminal justice system to send the message out that if you behave in a sectarian or racist way, there has to be consequences to those actions."

He also said if there is an organised paramilitary element involved then "that needs to be called out".

The Alliance Party MLA, Nuala McAllister, said some "actions" came out of the meeting but "that's not to say that things are all settled".

"There's still a lot of work to do. We've had commitments from the Housing Executive, the housing association and from the police, because it is very important that residents feel protected," she said.
The words "Locals only" are daubed on the side of a house in black paint under a small window. The front door is damaged.
Image caption,

A front door was damaged and graffiti daubed on a house in north Belfast on Thursday in what police are treating as a racially-motivated hate crime.

Representatives from Clanmil Housing attended the meeting. In a statement, they said they are continuing to work with the PSNI, local community and political representatives "to support our customers and towards ensuring that our homes at Annalee Street and Alloa Street are safe and welcoming for all".
Racism victim speaks out after attack
01:17
Media caption,

Sia Fay's home was attacked last week

On Monday, Sia Fey, who is a victim of a recent racist attack, told BBC News NI she intended to keep her family in their north Belfast home.

Last week she was in her house in Manor Street with her two children, aged 12 and 14, when the window of their living room was smashed.

Another house in Manor Street and one in nearby Summerhill Court, were also damaged in the incidents on Thursday.

Police are investigating a potential link between all three incidents.

by ImNotSureIAgree

16 comments

  1. don’t worry guys, the police said they are taking it “very seriously” /s

  2. Fucking arseholes that are doing this. You do not have the right. The state should be showing you that you do not have the right.

  3. Sectarian and racist thugs intimidating people out of the area, who do they think they are?

    Adults threatening children, cowardly cunts

  5. PSNI sleeping on the job. The powers that be are full of It.

  7. I know prods who wouldn’t move down there can’t believe catholics would want to live there, although people have every right to live wherever they want in peace, without being bothered by complete tramps as that’s who’s behind it

  8. What I find funny is the racists and sectarians who wrap themselves in flags and “patriotism” are the ones who seem to have such a low view of their own society that they believe it can’t handle a small number of people that aren’t exactly like them

  10. Listening to absolute morons on The Nolan Show trying to justify this yesterday just put me in a place of despair. Grown adults coming out with comments like , “Well sure they know how we felt when we were burned out in 1969 now then” or “I don’t mind them living here but it’s our area so they have no right to complain about our flags being hung up or our bands marching in our streets” No one in the street willing to be interviewed and no one coming out to speak up for them. N.Ireland hasn’t moved on at all in the last 30 years, stuck in an endless cycle of tit for tat and whataboutery and politicians only encourage it.

  11. Has Brave Sir Keir come out and said anything about these persistent terrorist actions and whats to be done at all, at all?

    He’s been all over the peaceful protests opposing the genocide his government have aided and abetted like a fly on shite.

    He was even more happy to openly comment that his government would introduce legislation to deny damages to victims of miscarriages of justice despite the fact they won their cases in UK courts relating to their illegal detention during internment.

  13. Here’s the thing about this, and I am not agreeing with people being intimidated out of their homes. The place where these families were placed is in the middle of still staunch Protestant community it,s not even neighbouring the two communities this was a very bad move on whoever was housing these families. Unfortunately, we are a few generations away from such housing ideas

  14. Is not going to be long until someone decides to protect their home and family with extreme measures and then every politician is going to come up with picachu faces and wondering how this could happen

    Disclaimer: I’m not advocating nor condoning violence of any kind or from any “side”, just stating what is obviously going to happen

  15. I wonder what the “constructive progress” actually means?

  16. The PSNI do fuck all in situations like this they have a cosy wee chat with UDA thugs and tell them if they know who is behind it can they have a word and tell them to stop and that’s about it

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