Government fund helps Romanians flee Belfast
About 100 Romanian nationals have decided to leave Northern Ireland after a series of racist attacks that forced them to flee their homes.
Their airfares were being paid out of an emergency government fund, said minister for social development Margaret Ritchie. According to reports, most of the immigrants are planning to return to Romania.
“We are not a racist society, but it’s now time we took a serious look at ourselves. There is now an urgency and an imperative to build a shared society.
“We live apart. We are educated apart, and therefore it is no surprise that this is a them and us attitude. We have to work to challenge that attitude. There must be total respect for political, religious and ethnic differences,” Ms. Richie said.
Three people, a 21-year-old man and two teenagers aged 15 and 16, have been charged with intimidating Romanians, while a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old have also been questioned about the attacks.
Earlier, a minister at the City Church in Belfast where the families were offered refuge, said it had been attacked.
