10/03/2006

Vandals attack Catholic church in east Belfast

Police are appealing for information following a racist attack on a Catholic church in east Belfast last night.

Vandals entered St Colmcille's church on the Upper Newtownards Road and daubed graffiti and excrement on the walls.

While police were alerted to the scene at around 8pm yesterday, details of the incident were only released today.

Commenting on the attack on St Colmcille's Church, Ulster Unionist Spokesperson on Community & Race Relations Esmond Birnie has said: "“I want to add my voice to the many condemnations of last night’s vile attacks on a Catholic Church on the Upper Newtownards Road.

“In a week’s time we should be celebrating St Patrick’s Day, but it seems that all too many people within our society have scant respect or tolerance for the beliefs of others.

“A particular cause for concern in this case was that some of the grafitti indicated race hatred.”

Detectives in east Belfast have asked for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have any information relating to it, to contact them on 0845 600 8000, or on the Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111.

(EF/SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

26 October 2015
Two Pig Heads With Racist Slogans Found At Church In West Belfast
Two pigs heads with racist slogans written on them have been left at the door of a church in west Belfast. They were left at St Luke's Church of Ireland on Northumberland Street on Saturday. Police are treating it as a racist hate attack. SDLP MLA Alex Attwood condemned the attack and described it as a "disgraceful act".
10 August 2006
Two arrested over "suspected racist attack"
Police in County Down have appealed for information following a suspected racist attack on a house in the early hours of this morning. At around 4.45am, paint was thrown and windows were broken at the house in the Copelands Park area of Bangor, which is understood to have been occupied by three Lithuanian nationals at the time.
31 January 2013
House Damaged In Petrol Bomb attack
A house in Larne has been damaged in a petrol bomb attack, according to police. It happened on Church Way at around 10.30pm on Wednesday. A man was in the house at the time but was unhurt. Minor damage was caused to the property and a window was smashed. Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.
25 July 2016
Arson Attack On Church In South Belfast
A Presbyterian Church has been targeted in an arson attack in south Belfast. The attack happened at the Saintfield Road Presbyterian Church in the early hours of Sunday morning, 24 July. A significant amount of damage was caused and police said "a sectarian motive is only one of a number of lines of enquiry".
16 September 2013
Belfast Church Damaged In Attack
A Catholic church in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, has been left damaged in a suspected petrol bomb attack. Paint is also believed to have been thrown at St Mary's Star of the Sea church on the Shore Road in north Belfast. The damage was reported on Sunday and police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.