A family has fled their home following a late night attack described as a racially motivated hate crime - one of a series of incidents in Co Antrim that police believe may be linked.
Windows were smashed, a petrol bomb was thrown and graffiti sprayed in attacks on three properties in Larne within 15 minutes, with two of the homes within close proximity. All three attacks happened from approximately 11pm and 11.15pm on Sunday night.
In a later attack, in the early hours of the morning, a man was assaulted by two men attempting to enter his home. The victim believed one of the attackers was carrying a gun.
The family, including two children, were inside the house on Cedric Street close to the Antiville estate when rocks were thrown, smashing two windows. ‘Get Out’ was daubed on the wall. The family, believed to be originally from eastern Europe, left the property and had not returned by Monday afternoon.
“Two windows had been smashed, and graffiti sprayed at the front of the house. A family, including children, were present at the time,” police said.
“The attack on the property in Cedric Street is being treated as a racially-motivated hate crime. There is no place in our society for such behaviour, and it’s particularly shocking that this type of attack should be carried out while young children are present.
“We are grateful that no-one was injured, though we are very aware that we could potentially have been dealing with much more serious consequences this morning.”
In the first attack, a petrol bomb was thrown through the living room window of a house in St John’s Place, causing scorch and smoke damage. A man who lives in the house claimed the attack was sectarian but did not want to be identified or comment further.
Minutes later, a second property around the corner on Elizabeth Avenue was targeted when a petrol bomb was thrown through an upstairs window causing scorch and smoke damage to a bedroom. A window was also smashed in the lower floor. There was no-one in the house at the time.
At around 4am on Monday, police received a report a man was assaulted at a property in Hillmount Gardens. Two men tried to enter the property with one believed to be carrying a gun.
The resident was struck in the face before the pair fled. He suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention.
DUP councillor Gregg McKeen described the attacks as “very sinister”, then added: “I would urge anyone involved to take a step back. It is not the right way to go about achieving anything.”
“Everybody should have a right to live, and to sleep in their beds at night,” he told the News Letter.
