Five race attacks in east Belfast linked
Police are investigating a new wave of racist attacks in east Belfast.
Cars and homes were damaged and racist slogans painted on walls in five locations on Monday night.
Paint was thrown at a car and all its windows smashed in Rosebery Street.
Racist slogans were painted on a gable wall at the junction of Elmdale Street and Bately Street.
Windows of a house in Chobham Street were smashed and paint thrown at the house.
Racist graffiti was also painted on a gable wall in the area.
Damage was also caused to a house in Bloomfield Avenue and a silver Fiat Punto car parked on the Ravenscroft Street.
Police said all the incidents took place before 11pm and are investigating a link between the attacks.
One of the victims who had “Romanians out” painted on her home in Bloomfield Avenue said she would not be forced out.
Rosie Lakatosova, who is Slovakian, said: “Just yesterday I walked around the area and there was nothing.
“I am scared and frightened and I don’t know why they would do this.
“This is a very good street,” the mother of two said.
Residents voiced their anger at the attacks and said people should be allowed to live where they want free from intimidation.
One of the victim’s neighbours said: “It is the same people responsible, this is a terrible thing.
“It’s not right. These people are always very nice to us they would always say hello to you in the street, I’m sure they are frightened.
“People should be able to live where they want, how they want, this is not fair.”
Superintendent Mark McEwan: “There was a group of between 10 to 15 people involved, some of them masked.
“There was clearly a racial motivation and obviously they set out to intimidate and scare people.
“Many of the homes attacked had young children inside.
“There was a level of orchestration, although we can’t say at this time if there is a particular group involved.”
This is the latest in a spate of attacks in east Belfast.
Police have said there has been a spike in racist incidents in the city in the past year and have set up a dedicated phone line for people to report incidents.
Investigating officers are treating the latest attacks as a hate crime and are appealing for information on the non-emergency number 101.
