Republican News · Thursday 6 December 2001

Families forced out

Up to nine Catholic families are moving out of the Serpentine Gardens/Serpentine Road area of North Belfast because of UDA attacks on their homes.

According to Paul McKiernon, a spokesperson for residents in the Whitewell area the loyalist attacks have been a feature of life for nationalists in the area for years.

Over the weekend, however, since Friday 30 November, there have been nightly onslaughts "which have been clearly orchestrated, planned and organised".

In the weekend attack, loyalists gangs came from the Gunnell Hill and White City areas and stoned Catholic houses. The loyalists maintained their attacks over the weekend and, according to McKiernon, they carried out more attacks on Tuesday night 4 December.

"The people here are getting fed up with these constant attacks and want something done about it now," said a resident.

The residents are campaigning to have the 'peaceline' at the Serpentine Road and at the backs of houses on Serpentine Gardens raised. They are also planning a protest at Arthur Bridge at the nearby Longlands Estate on Thursday 6 December.

Longlands is a small isolated estate which has also been under nightly attack with loyalists from the White City bombarding the houses and residents' cars with bricks, bottles and paint bombs.

A resident of the area who spoke to An Phoblacht accused the RUC/PSNI of, "allowing loyalists to attack Catholics with impunity then turning on nationalist residents who are on the streets trying to protect their homes". In one incident the RUC/PSNI batoned six women in the estate when they protested about the behaviour of the RUC/PSNI.