PSNI and media slated over 'race attack'

West Belfast community workers and Sinn Féin activists have reacted angrily to the PSNI and sections of media after they claimed that an attack carried out on a man in the Lower Falls area last week was racially motivated.

In their statement, which was carried throughout Friday 19 March by sections of the media, the PSNI claimed that the attack, which occured near the Dunville Park was racially motivated.

The PSNI also gave out details of a racist attack on a Chinese woman which occurred in the loyalist Sandy Row area on the same day, Thursday 18 March, and connected the two incidents.

During the attack the man was, according to the PSNI, struck over the head with a bottle and one of his assailants tried to bite his ear off.

However, speaking to An Phoblacht, local Sinn Féin activists and community workers rubbished the PSNI claims and challenged the media, who accepted the PSNI statement without question and without referring to local sources.

One Sinn Féin member told An Phoblacht that while the man, who is in his early 20s, is black, he is also well known for his involvment in anti-social behaviour and criminality.

"This incident arose when a gang of these anti-social elements fell out among themselves and a brawl erupted. The motivation behind this incident was personal and between this gang, it certainly was not racially motivated.

"Once again the PSNI have been caught out telling lies. They are trying to portray this community in a bad light and link it to what has been going on in loyalist areas, where UVF and UDA hatemongers in South Belfast have carried out 108 attacks on members of different ethnic communities".