18 November, 2004

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Racists challenged at North Belfast rally

A rally organised by the North Belfast Anti-Racism Network in support of Chinese and Filipino families attacked by racist thugs was held at the Fortwilliam shops on Wednesday night, 10 November.

The attacks, directed at a number of homes in the loyalist Queen Victoria Gardens on Tuesday 9 November, saw cars and homes daubed with swastikas and slogans supporting the British right-wing supremacist group, Combat 18.

A Filipino woman whose home was targeted also complained that her daughter, who attends a Catholic school, has been targeted by loyalist thugs on a number of occasions.

Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly spoke at the rally and pledged the support of the party to "those from ethnic minority communities who are valued members of our society.

"Racism is wrong and those engaged in attacks on defenceless families should desist," he said. "The communities need to work to defend the rights of ethnic minority groups to live free from this type of intimidation."

Meanwhile, an attack on three Polish men in the Ballyoran area of Portadown in the early hours of Sunday morning, 14 November, has been condemned by local people.

Breandán Mac Cionnaith of the Drumcree Community Trust said: "To those responsible for this I would give a very simple message - this community stood up against the worst excesses of sectarianism over the years, it will not tolerate attacks on others because of their colour, language or country of origin."

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