Top Issue 1-2024

27 November 1997 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

More Larne sectarianism

By Catherine O'Hagan

A group of around 50 Loyalist teenagers led by a known UVF man attacked first year pupils coming from St Comgall's High School in Larne on Monday.

The loyalists had gathered at the town's bus stop, which is not far from Larne RUC barracks. They were searching for a Catholic youth, who they named saying, ``they were going to get him'' and accused him of writing pro-nationalist graffiti in the loyalist Craigyhill estate.

When they discovered that the Catholic youth wasn't there the loyalists went to a bus stop at the Shore Road where pupils going to Glenarm and Carnlough and threw stones and apples at the Catholic pupils.

No one was injured although some of them were shocked at the ferocity of the attack. Some windows were broken on the bus.

On Tuesday the RUC escorted the Carnlough bus out of the town in case of further attack.

One parent said that he phoned the RUC to complain at the lack of protection for the children and was told, ``there's nothing we can do about it''.

 

Hit list on bus shelter



By Catherine O'Hagan

THE CAMPAIGN of intimidation and violence against Catholics cin Larne took a sinister twist when last week a hit list naming several young Catholics appeared on a bus shelter in Craigyhill.

Two of those named on the hit list discovered the list last Wednesday 18 November as they went to catch a bus to school. The young Catholics added that people of their age had been harassed and attacked for playing hurling in the estate and while the RUC were aware of attacks on Catholics they had done nothing to protect them.

``In light of the RUC's failure to protect young Catholics in the past we are very worried about this threat. We just want to be left alone, we haven't done anything wrong,'' they said

Two weeks ago in Craigyhill the homes of another two young Catholics had their windows smashed and the loyalists behind the attacks are accusing them of painting slogans around the estate. The youths strenuously deny the charge. ``We haven't been out of the house in the last two weeks, except to go to school, because of threats and the curfew imposed on us by loyalists. They told us to be off the streets by 10pm during the week and not to leave the house at all over the weekend. Our only crime being Catholics in Larne,'' the youths said.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland