https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/campaign-of-hate-at-east-belfast-gaa-pitch-must-end-says-councillor/a137557322.html
A Belfast City councillor has condemned the latest “hate crime” at an east Belfast GAA pitch saying it’s time for those intent on waging a “campaign of hate” to move on.
Police are treating criminal damage at east Belfast playing fields, which are used by a cross community GAA team, as sectarian.
It was reported that oil had been poured over goal mouths at Henry Jones Playing Fields in Castlereagh.
The PSNI said: “The damage, which is being treated as a hate crime, is believed to have been occurred sometime from Tuesday night, 12th December.”
Reaction
Councillor Séamas de Faoite said all of the elected parties in east Belfast have endorsed the inclusion of GAA facilities at Henry Jones and all of them supported the “unfortunately now needed” additional security measures at the site.
“It’s time for the small number of individuals who are perpetrating this campaign of hatred to move on. They surely have better things to be doing with their time than trying to resist the inclusion of GAA at Henry Jones.
“The community is quite likely at this stage sick of it, sick of the destruction being caused.”
A lot of work has gone into addressing the lack of pitches for all sports, Mr de Faoite explained.
He concluded: “The vast majority of people in east Belfast have no issue with GAA pitches at Henry Jones.
“It’s a very small number of people who aren’t connected to any organisations, who aren’t acting on behalf of anybody, they’ve just taken it upon themselves to wage a campaign of hate and it’s time for them to move on.”
Alliance councillor Michael Long has called on all parties to show support for East Belfast GAA.
“I stand by East Belfast GAA after this latest hate-filled incident and I call on all parties to do the same,” said Councillor Long,” he said.
“This is sadly not the first time the club has been targeted. It is beyond tiresome that a club just wanting to play sport and contribute positively to the local community once again faces this bigotry and hatred.
“I call on anyone with information on this incident to contact police with it immediately.”
Previous incidents
Since the East Belfast GAA club was founded in May 2020, there has been a series of attacks on the Henry Jones Playing Fields used by the team.
At some point between Monday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 30 criminal damage was caused to the goal posts at the Castlereagh pitch.
Police launched a hate crime probe after the nets were set on fire and destroyed.
In May 2023 a security alert forced officials to close the pitches for a period of time to allow Army bomb experts to probe claims that devices had been left in the area.
It turned out to be a hoax as, following extensive searches, nothing untoward was found.
While in August 2020 a security alert at the playing fields was linked to two other incidents in Belfast.
The incidents were in the Strandtown area of east Belfast and in Mayfield Square, in the Blacks Road area of west Belfast.
They followed a telephone warning that devices had been left at Henry Jones playing fields where East Belfast GAC had been training.
How to pass information to police
In relation to the latest incident, anyone with information is urged to call 101, quoting reference 1110 of 13/12/23. You can also submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
by Ah_here_like