Reinforced glass saves five children in loyalist arson attack

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

Attackers came right up to the railings of the house and threw a petrol bomb at the front window

THE PETROL BOMBING of a house on west Belfast’s Springfield Road on Sunday evening has been described by local Sinn Féin MLA Fra McCann as “attempted murder . . . the latest in a series of sectarian attacks on these houses”.  

Fra McCann (right) said this attack happened in broad daylight and is the latest in a series of sectarian attacks emanating from the Workman’s Avenue gate on this row of houses.

He said that, around 5:30pm, individuals emerged from the entrance to Workman’s Avenue and came right up to the railings of the house and threw a petrol bomb at the front window.

“Only that the Housing Executive have put in place reinforced glass this attack would have been even worse,” Fra McCann said. “There are five children who live in this house and this can only be described as attempted murder by those responsible.”

He said there are fears that this is an escalation to the repeated attacks on these homes given the use of petrol bombs and the ongoing situation in north Belfast and loyalist gangs’ atttacks.

“I would urge anyone who saw this attack or anything suspicious – no matter what side of the interface they live on – to report it to the PSNI.

“These attacks cannot be allowed to continue and those behind them, given the seriousness of this latest incident, need to be taken off our streets.”