Willie Frazer Escapes Arson Attack On Home

Loyalist and union flag campaigner Willie Frazer has escaped serious injury following an arson attack on his home in County Armagh.

The incident occurred when a passing police patrol saw a car had been set alight outside Mr Frazer’s property on the Tandragee Road, just outside Markethill, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The campaigner claims he was targeted by republicans due to his role in the ongoing protests over restrictions placed on the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall.

Belfast Councillors voted on 3 December last year to only fly the union flag on designated days. Since that decision, loyalists and unionists have staged protests across Northern Ireland. While most have been peaceful, many have resulted in serious rioting in which police officers have been injured, sometimes hospitalised.

Willie Frazer is a prominent campaigner within the Ulster People’s Forum (UPF), set up in the wake of the union flag decision.

Mr Frazer told the BBC he made a recording of a death threat he received at 23:40 on Saturday.

He said: "I get about a dozen death threats every day, they don't deter me. I'm not afraid of these people and the sooner they learn that, the better.

"But to come to my house, to attack my family, that's a different story."

Mr Frazer, 52, was asleep when police raised the alarm and woke him at about 01:15.

The burning car was parked in the driveway of his home. The property sustained scorch damage, including to a kitchen door and guttering.

The fire service used hand held extinguishers and a garden hose to dampen the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

The car was completely destroyed but no-one was hurt.

(IT)