POLICE ARE investigating a series of attacks on Romanian families in south Belfast. Windows were smashed and a car was damaged in a number of racist attacks on Romanians living at Wellesley Avenue and Belgravia Avenue over a four-day period up to Sunday, according to the PSNI.
There were claims that up to 20 people gathered outside the properties on different occasions between last Thursday and Sunday, and that some allegedly shouted Combat 18 slogans with a letter containing text from Hitler’s Mein Kampf also pushed through the letterbox of one of the properties.
The South Belfast SDLP MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell condemned the attacks and urged the local community to rally behind the families.
“It’s totally reprehensible that families should be targeted in this manner, just trying to live their lives in peace. It is hard enough for people to live and integrate in another country never mind with the added pressure of living with attacks in the dead of night,” he added.
Alliance Assembly member Anna Lo said the attacks were utterly contemptible.
“A few thoughtless thugs must not be allowed to disrupt people’s lives and cannot be allowed to tarnish the good reputation of south Belfast,” she said.
“These thugs need to realise that it is people who carry out racist hate crimes who are not welcome in our society,” added Ms Lo.
