Two men were today arrested by police investigating a sectarian assault outside a Co Antrim nightclub which left a Belfast student critically ill.
The 20-year-old Catholic from north Belfast suffered serious head injuries when he was set upon in the car park of Kelly's nightclub in Portrush last weekend.
A 28-year-old man from Broughshane and a 20-year-old man from Ballymena are being questioned by police.
Officers issued a fresh appeal for information about the attack, which they are treating as sectarian, yesterday and were anxious to speak to a group of 16 people who left the nightclub on a bus bound for the two Co Antrim towns.
A PSNI spokesman said the trouble started when the victim and his friends became involved in an argument with a number of other men inside the club.
"During this verbal dispute it became apparent through the mention of a Christian name that at least one of the group to which the victim belonged was a Catholic," he said.
"He and his friends were subjected to sectarian taunting as a result and a brief fight broke out. Security staff broke up this fight and all parties were ejected.
"Another fight took place in the car park during which he received the serious injuries that left him critically injured."
The spokesman said that although the car park was busy at the time of the incident, few witnesses had come forward.
PA