An attack on a Polish couple and their two young children is being treated as racially motivated, the PSNI said today.
Bricks and paint were thrown at the house on the Cregagh Road, Belfast, which the family share with another Polish family.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning, has been condemned by local politicians.
Sinn Féin's spokeswoman on ethnic minorities, Jennifer McCann, said that a clear message must be sent out that there was no place in society for those who carried out such attacks.
She said: "Irish people have settled in countries all over the world and have welcomed people from other countries here.
"Unfortunately there are a small number of narrow minded people who chose to attack people simply because they come from a different cultural background."
Alliance Belfast councillor Maire Hendron called the attack despicable and urged anyone with information about it to contact the police.
She said: "People should be able to live here without fear of intimidation. The incident appears to be racist in nature and the local community is sickened by it.
"Migrants play a vital role in our society and contribute much, both economically and culturally. We want to welcome them and make them feel at home here. It is the racist thugs who carry out such attacks who are not welcome in our community."
PA