LAST UPDATE | 7 Aug
POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland have arrested six people amid investigations into a number of racially motivated hate crimes in Belfast, including an attack on a young boy yesterday evening.
The PSNI came under attack and businesses were targeted during anti-immigration violence in the city.
“For a third night, our officers dealt with incidents such as assaults, criminal damage and arson in a challenging environment right across the city,” Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said.
Police received a report at around an assault on a young boy as a hate crime.
At around 6.10pm, police received a report that a shop on the Falls Road had eggs thrown at it and that staff inside were being racially abused by a group of young people.
Police said a 15-year-old boy was assaulted by up to 10 youths and sustained a minor facial injury during the incident.
“A 15-year-old boy was assaulted and while he received minor facial injuries, I have no doubt this was a terrifying incident for the young victim,” Jones said.
“When police attended, a large group from the local community were outside to diffuse the situation. A 14-year-old boy was cautioned for offences such as common assault, disorderly behaviour and criminal damage. We will review the evidence gathered and follow this up in the coming days.”
Police also received a report of a group of young people wearing masks in the Shankill area.
Officers attended and arrested three boys, two aged 16 and one aged 14, on suspicion of riotous behaviour. They remain in police custody at this time.
Jones said officers also dealt with a number of reports of criminal damage to homes and cars in the Enfield Street, Woodvale Road and Rathlin Street.
At around 8.45pm last night, it was reported that a car was hijacked by a group of masked men on Fingal Street.
The police said that the vehicle was deliberately driven at the front of a business on Woodvale Road, causing damage to the shutters, before the men made off from the scene.
Officers were deployed to the scene when it was reported, just after 9.25pm, that masked men were smashing windows in the Rathlin Street area.
Three men, aged 26, 28 and 41 years, were arrested on suspicion of offences including criminal damage. They remain in custody.
There were also reports of bins set on fire in the Newtownards Road area of east Belfast, which caused some traffic disruption for a period of time as the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service dealt with the fire.
Officers are also appealing for information in relation to criminal damage in Ballyclare which is also being treated as a hate crime.
Ballyclare is a small town about 25-minutes north of Belfast.
In the early hours of this morning, the front window of a house in the Erskine Park area was smashed and a brick was thrown through the windscreen of a car parked outside.
Racist graffiti had also been sprayed on a wall in the area.
“The scenes we have been seeing across Belfast over the last few days have been a disgrace and have no place in Northern Ireland,” Jones said.
“We continue to engage with the groups affected by this criminality and hope these arrests show the community that we are taking action.”
She said the Public Order Enquiry Team are reviewing footage to attempt to identify those involved, as well as those organising and orchestrating this disorder. Any evidence will then be presented to the Public Prosecution Service.
I am appealing to the public directly, do not let these criminals hide in your community.
She urged anyone with any information which can help identify any of the individuals involved in the disorder to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency, quoting reference 1609 of 06/08/24.
The police have also set up a Major Incident Public Portal where people can submit information, such as photos and footage, including CCTV, mobile phone or dash cam footage.
The incidents came amid scenes of disorder in Belfast and parts of England in recent days.
Police said a victim of a suspected hate crime has been left in a serious condition in hospital after reportedly being “stamped” on the head by attackers during anti-immigration violence in Belfast on Monday night.
Four men linked to disorder on Saturday appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court heard that police believe more violence linked to planned anti-immigration protests is likely in Belfast in the coming days.
A 15-year-old boy, charged with two counts of riot and possession of a weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court today.
Two businesses owned by people from minority ethnic communities were set alight during the violence, including Bash Café on Donegall Road.
Speaking to The Journal, owner Mohammed Idris said he was at home on Saturday when he saw videos online of his café set alight.
“I was so shocked and saddened, it’s heartbreaking,” said Idris. “The damage is truly massive and my café is gone completely.”
It’s the second time one of Idris’s businesses have been targeted after his computer shop was damaged on Sandy Row last year.
Two streets over, Sahara Shisha Café on Belfast’s Botanic Avenue was also targeted on Saturday.
Owner Rahmi Akyol, who has lived in the area for 35 years, told The Journal: “As you can see, the café is empty.
“We lost a lot of business and people are scared to come, but we have reopened and hopefully we will rebuild again,” he added.
With reporting by Press Association
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