Threat to evict rioters’ families from their homes
Suzanne Breen, Belfast Telegraph
Community leaders in West Belfast are threatening that families whose children take part in riots could be at risk of being evicted from their homes by the Housing Executive.
Sinn Féin and many local community activists are working hard to try to stop nationalist youths engaging in protests against Orange marches or riots over the Twelfth.
A leaflet delivered in the Falls Road area from ‘Beechmount Residents Association’ warned that families of any youths who misbehaved could potentially lose their homes.
“It has been advised that anyone found at the interfaces intent on causing trouble will have their names taken and (the) Northern Ireland Housing Executive has stressed, if they are tenants, parents will be informed and action may be taken in relation to breach of their tenancy agreements,” the leaflet states.
It also warns that the ‘Falls Community Safety team’, along with representatives of the Housing Executive and a local housing association, “will be present at all interfaces” to monitor the behaviour of local youth.
Community leaders have organised a range of “diversionary activities” in an attempt to stop youths becoming involved in disturbances. These include a “family fun evening” with bouncy castles, face painting, and a barbeque.
In other parts of West and North Belfast, community leaders – with Sinn Féin’s support – are organising trips out of the city to try to remove local youth from the area during the contentious period.
