Church opens doors to Romanians after attacks
Posted: 17 Jun 2009 @ 00:00
by Gregg Ryan Ireland Correspondent
Frightened: a Romanian woman, her head covered, outside the leisure centre
Frightened: a Romanian woman, her head covered, outside the leisure centre
TWENTY Romanian families, including a five-day-old baby, had to flee their homes in the Lisburn Road area of Belfast on Tuesday night after a week of racist attacks. They took refuge in the Belfast Central Church, an Evangelical non-denominational congregation.
The pastor, the Revd Malcolm Morgan, said on Wednesday that a member of the congregation who works with a race-relations group, had felt that the Romanian group needed to be evacuated immediately. “The response was wonderful from people and agencies in the area, and we were able to accommodate all 113, which made up 20 families.”
The attacks came from what is believed to be a relatively small group of local men. They were opposed by people from the area on Monday, but a demonstration of support for the immigrants was met with Nazi salutes and missiles, including bottles.
The attacks were condemned by politicians and the Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Martin McGuinness, who said they were “totally shameful episodes which would not have the support of the vast majority of the people of Belfast”. The DUP Assembly Member for South Belfast, Jimmy Spratt, said: “Migrant workers have made a vital contribution to the economic and social life of Belfast. I hope that everyone will continue to stand against such attacks.”
The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, called the attacks “deplorable”. “We, from our legacy of divisions, should know the damage which all racially motivated acts . . . can do and must reject such activity and thinking.”
The City Council has now moved the families to a leisure centre.
On Wednesday night a Romanian family was attacked in east Belfast when a window was smashed at their home.
Later today the Romanian ambassador to the UK, Dr Ion Jinga, is to meet the head of Northern Ireland's police over the attacks. He met the First Minister, Peter Robinson, and the deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, at Stormont yesterday.
Dr Jinga said: "I have been encouraged by the reaction of public opinion here because every reaction I have seen in the media at least was in objection to what happened two days ago. I come to my first visit to Belfast in an unfortunate and unhappy context. It is a place where we could build up projects on economic grounds, cultural exchanges, social co-operation - there are so many things that can be done together."