Racist and homophobic attacks on the rise

Ógra Shinn Féin anti-racist graffiti on the Falls Road, Belfast

A report released on Thursday 13 May shows that racially motivated and homophobic attacks across the Six Counties have almost doubled in the last year. The report was released just days after a woman was assaulted in a race attack in Belfast and a teenager was injured in a homophobic attack in Derry.

On Wednesday 12 May a woman, who is understood to be of Korean origin, was struck on the head and racially abused by a man as she walked to work along Lower Crescent in South Belfast around 9am.

Sinn Féin Assembly member for South Belfast Alex Maskey said the attack was outrageous and advocated that "politicians must work with ethnic minority groups whose cultures enrich the city and make it the sort of inclusive society which we desire".

The same day in Derry a 17-year-old gay teenager was severely beaten by six men in a homophobic attack at a car park in John Street, near the city centre.

The men, who emerged from two cars, taunted the teenager with homophobic abuse before assaulting him. The youth suffered a suspected fractured nose and was left with severe bruising to his face.

David McCartney of the Derry gay rights group, The Rainbow Project, said the teenager was very "shook up" and now wanted to leave the city.

"We will offer him whatever help we can to persuade him to stay," said McCartney. "The vast majority of Derry people are supportive or understanding and it's just a minority that give the city a bad name".

Statistics show that 17 homophobic attacks were reported in the Foyle district of Derry alone in the last year.