A woman and two young children have been left “afraid to be in their own home” after a house in Belfast was targeted in an attack police are treating as racially motivated.
The incident happened in Vernon Street in the Donegall Pass area of south Belfast on Monday night.
Two pieces of masonry were thrown at the windows of the property shortly before 11.30pm.
PSNI Inspector Róisín Brown said the occupants of the house, a woman in her 40s and two young children, “were were not injured but left badly shaken”.
“This was an unprovoked, violent attack on a young family who have been left afraid to be in their own home,” she said.
“They are fortunate not to have sustained physical injury during the incident. Violence is unacceptable in any community, and I appeal very strongly for anyone who witnessed this incident to speak with us to help us identify those responsible.”
Inspector Brown added: “Enquiries are continuing and at this time, the incident is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.
“Police would appeal to anyone with any information to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 1788 09/09/24.”
The incident is the latest in a spate of racially motivated attacks to have taken place across the north since disorder broke out in Belfast after an anti-immigration rally in the city at the beginning of August.
SDLP councillor for the Botanic area, Gary McKeown, said he was “disgusted” at the attack.
“The idea that a young family can’t even be safe in their own home is appalling. I feel so sorry for them,” he said.
“A very strong message has been sent out that racism and hatred are not welcome in our city, but there are still thugs who persist in taking out their bigotry on some of our most vulnerable neighbours. This has resulted in real fear among many people across Belfast.
“We need to see leadership on this issue and steps taken by those with influence to get them stopped – there can be no excuses or justification for this type of attack. This isn’t what Belfast is about and it achieves nothing.”
