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POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland are investigating a serious assault outside a bar in Coalisland, Co Tyrone last night.
Two Latvian men were set upon by a group of men on Main Street shortly before 9pm.
The victims, both in their 30s, sustained cuts and bruises as well as possible facial fractures in the attack.
PSNI Inspector Neil Beck said: “The victims of this assault are both Latvian nationals and we are treating the incident as a hate crime.
“I would urge anyone who was in the Main Street area and who saw what happened to get in touch with police. The number to call is 101, please quote reference 1012 16/04/17.”
If someone would prefer to provide information without leaving their name, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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The estate where I live (Dublin 22). Several years ago two Eastern European men were set upon, beaten up and their car burned out for simply talking back to a group of local teens who were verbally abusing them. Having been targeted by the locals myself, whenever I’m approaching some pedestrians at night and I don’t hear an Irish accent I relax. Never had a problem with a non-national. Never.
@David A. Murray: Here we go again, Irish people being racist about Irish people, of course I don’t like to see people attacked but when you come out with rubbish like that there is little or no hope for this country..
@Jho Harris: You must know of at least one story where toerags finally get the verbal knockdown they deserve, and they cowardly burn the persons car to show they are boss. Happened last year near to a man who refused to serve them alcohol because they were teenagers, near my house.
@Jho Harris: not true. i know a lithuanian guy who carries a weapon just in case. Never had any problems down here in my part of Cork with latvians or lithuanians. all hard working decent folk. Shame on those n.i. guys bloody disgrace.
@Jho Harris: but a lot of Irish are racist
@Jho Harris: I guess you didn’t have your home attacked literally several hundred times (I stopped counting at 275 phone calls to the guards within the first 22 months). My wife was type 2 diabetic and insulin resistant. I had severe clinical depression which didn’t respond to treatment or medication and we had to endure horrifying levels of threats, intimidation, property damage, repeated attempted property damage, vile verbal abuse. Worst incident was on 2 consecutive evenings in autumn three years ago. Both evenings approx 30 local teens threw everything they could find at our apartment (incl. a 7 inch iron bar) for 30 minutes – both evenings. Not surprisingly my marriage broke up 7 years ago and I spent the next 4 years battling an untreatable serious illness by myself. I went 2 years without exchanging a single word with another person outside of work. I haven’t taken a sick day since November 2010 from work. You can guess what I think of your comment. Think next time, or at least ask someone what their experience was before leaping to a reactive conclusion based on squat for substanitation.
@gregory: Now that is a fine situation, it is against the law to carry a weapon but so many people who come here could care about our laws here; I know we have home grown who happily break the law/but we really don’t adding to the problem.
@bmul: you could have mentioned that there are every nationalities racist too.
@David A. Murray: my heart goes out you but I have no idea what point you are trying to make about racism. I regard you didn’t get of care about my point. Goodnight, goodbye and best of luck to you.
Poor men hope they recover well and their assailants caught. Not to be unduly facetious reminds me the one about how a New Yorker is walking down some mean streets in Norn Iron when a masked figure jumps out pointing a Beretta and demands ”Orr ye Kyatholack orr Pratastant!?” to which the tourist throws up his hands in terror and shouts ”I’m a Jew! I’m a Jew!” to which comes the reply ”Aye but orr ye a Kyatholack Jee orr a Pratastant Jee?”
How our island has changed! From beating up each other – to attacking those who come here…
@Paul Foot: we still beat up each other
@Paul Foot:
It happened in the UK, it’s not our problem.
@Naberius: it’s Ireland to me. Free your partitionist and bigoted mind…or keep yr head buried in the sand.
Hate crime? Really? It can’t be a hate crime if you’re white and male.
@Sara Elia López: see your vet m8…
@Paul Foot: is that the best rebuttal u have?
That’s the north for you, they also attack and hate the Chinese!!! Who hates Chinese people!!!
@Dean Burroughs: your prejudice against people from the north is no different to prejudice against Latvian or Chinese people. Nice bit of hypocrisy from you there Dean!!!
@Dean Burroughs: I don’t. They’re a great bunch of lads.
oh Andrew I’m not politically correct, not at all, my information is based on statistics. After that you can label me prejudice or racist all you want, I don’t care.
@Dean Burroughs: what statistics? Chinese have been widely accepted and part of the community in the north for many decades. Are you trying to get a job in the Sunday World or Daily Mail or what?
@Dean Burroughs: Where do we start…the Japanese for one.
@Dean Burroughs: no link to these statistics you speak of, no?
Why can’t a fight just be a fight , no it has to be dramatically called a hate crime ,
@Donal O Cofaigh: when a fight breaks out you can be sure both people hate the other, therefore they’re all hate crimes. Lol
@Scundered: haha well said
There seems to be an increase in hate crimes in recent times.
ah but maybe they were been bold, with drink they ain’t angels but we’ll call it a hate crime cos they’re eastern euros who are quite fond of the vodka too, albeit can’t handle Irish pubs and the banter amongst lads.
Never ever trust a Northie. Trust this maxim and your trust will be vindicated. Where most people say “just a thought”, Northies say “just a taunt”
@Stephen Matthews: Yikes, that’s a harsh statement to lay against all 1.6 million of your neighbours up north.
On the other hand, if we are talking about trust then consider that a half million of those “Northies” you are berating, trusted their “Southie” brothers to look after them 100 years ago yet the Southies turned their backs on them, buried their heads in the sand at their mistreatment for 80 years, and went on their merry way.
And even though that’s ancient history I might use it to make a sweeping statement here that everyone in the South is forever untrustworthy and I might even brand them an unflattering label such as “Southies”. But then that would make me sound like a narrow minded eejit wouldn’t it.
have your say