Republican News · Thursday 10 April 2003

Short Strand homes targeted again

Houses in the Nationalist Short Strand area of Belfast came under sustained attack from loyalists on Saturday night 5 April.

Sinn Féin councillor for the area, Joe O'Donnell, has called for these attacks to stop immediately, as they are proving a hindrance to ongoing efforts in the area to calm the current situation involving sectarian attacks.

A gang of loyalists attacked homes already undergoing a Housing Executive maintenance scheme in Beechfield and Bryson Streets with stones and bottles.

Nationalists urged to be vigilant

Community activists have called on nationalists to be very vigilant after unionist paramilitaries attacked a house in the St James area of West Belfast on Tuesday night 1 April.

Windows were broken in the house after two carloads of men threw bricks at the house around 1.30am, before speeding off in the direction of the loyalist Village area. The householder says this was the second attack on his home by loyalists in under a year and he is now considering installing special glass to prevent any more windows being broken.

St James community worker Sean Osbourne told An Phoblacht the countdown to the marching season is under way.

"Every year it is the same old story," he said. "Loyalists start the ball rolling with sectarian attacks against this community, I would advise nationalists to be very wary of any strange cars they see in their area, and to be vigilant at all times."