LAST UPDATE | 7 Aug

A MIDDLE EASTERN shop on the Falls Road in Belfast is set to close permanently this coming weekend after an attack on the premises that is being treated as a hate crime.

It’s the latest in a spate of attacks on businesses in Belfast owned by people from minority ethnic communities.

At around 6.10pm yesterday, the PSNI said a large group of young people had been throwing eggs at the Middle East Market on the Falls Road.

A PSNI spokesperson said that during the incident, a 15-year-old boy was assaulted by up to 10 youths.

He sustained a minor facial injury, and that attack is being treated as a hate crime.

Police in west Belfast investigating this incident have since arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of riotous behaviour, common assault and criminal damag

Local Sinn Féin councillor Michael Donnelly said youths had attempted to steal items from Middle East Market and that they attacked staff when challenged.

Donnelly described it as “completely unwarranted and disgraceful”.

“It’s not the first time we have been targeted,” said Ali Moustafa Wartty, who owns the Middle East Market.

Wartty lives in England but owns five shops across Northern Ireland.

He was in Northern Ireland recently and left on Monday.

“I got a phone call yesterday from the shop and from the police,” Wartty told The Journal.

“The CCTV shows people aged between 10 and 15 attacking the shop and fighting with some customers.

This is not the first time this has happened, but it was the worst.

Wartty said there have been ongoing incidents since January and that he has made several reports to the PSNI.

However, Wartty alleges he was told that the “PSNI cannot do anything”.

“Sometimes when we call the police, they don’t attend, or sometimes they attend after 24 hours when there’s nothing left to do,” Wartty added.

In a statement to The Journal, a PSNI spokesperson said police have received reports relating to Middle East Market.

The spokesperson said this included “two reports of anti-social behaviour, and a race-related hate crime” reported yesterday. 

The PSNI spokesperson said officers attended each of these reports and have engaged with the owner.

West Belfast Area Commander Chief Inspector Claire Hamilton said: “We are aware of ongoing anti-social behaviour in the Falls Road area and are committing to working with the community and partners to find long-lasting solutions.

“The race hate-related assault and anti-social behaviour in the area last night will not be tolerated.

“A 15-year-old boy was assaulted, in what was a terrifying ordeal, and a 14-year-old boy was later cautioned. I want to thank members of the local community who attended and prevented the situation from escalating.”

Meanwhile, Wartty said he has decided to close his shops in Northern Ireland, with Middle East Market on the Falls Road to close this coming weekend.

There are 12 permanent and three temporary staff in this shop and Wartty said they will “lose their jobs”.

Around 30 people came to the Middle East Market yesterday evening in a show of support for the shop.

Wartty extended his thanks to “everyone who stood with us yesterday”.

“There were a lot of people from different communities, particularly from the Irish community, who supported and stood with us, and I would like to thank them very much,” said Wartty.

“This situation doesn’t help anyone, we have to close down the shop and people are losing their jobs and businesses.”

Gerry Carroll, a local MLA for People Before Profit, said these people “came to the defence of a migrant-owned business” and described the attack as “awful but representative of a minority”.

Well done to the people of West Belfast for coming to the defence of a migrant-owned business on the Falls Rd this evening.
Tonight’s attack was awful but is representative of a minority. I commend the immediate response of the community, including PBP activists. pic.twitter.com/EG3Z0NQiBe

— Gerry Carroll (@GerryCarrollPBP) August 6, 2024

Wartty also said he was due to open another shop close to the Falls Road but was intimidated into doing otherwise.

“We were decorating it last month and three people came in with their hoods up and threatened us and said that we should not open the shop.”

Wartty has shops in England too, and said these shops may also have to close due to anti-immigration rioting there.

“We may have to close all of them in England because we have to keep on the safe side for staff and customers,” said Wartty.

He added: “We have to work together to prevent the crime and improve as this situation doesn’t benefit anyone.”