Sailor attacked over boat’s Irish ensign

A boat displaying an Irish flag was burned out and a man injured in a serious sectarian attack in the seaside village of Portballintrae in County Antrim this week.

The incident, in which the sailer was hospitalised, saw a fight break out after the boat docked at a pier in the Beach Road area of the village on the north Antrim coast on Monday evening.

The small yacht was attacked by loyalists because of an Irish tricolour flag apparently displayed on the vessel to show its country of registry.

The boat was then set alight and “extensively damaged” in what was described by the PSNI police as “a sectarian-motivated hate crime”.

In a statement, Coleraine Coastguard said they were required to provide support for the fire crew tackling the blaze.

“The boat was completely destroyed but thankfully no one was aboard at the time,” they said.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Philip McGuigan condemned the attack, which he described as “disgraceful”.

“There is no place for sectarianism or hatred in our society – we are looking forward and working together towards a better future for all,” he said.

Alliance councillor Richard Stewart said residents in Portballintrae had been in touch to express their “absolute disgust” about the incident.

“Portballintrae is a very welcoming village that thrives on local tourism arriving in all forms. For this to happen is really out of character for the setting of the village,” he said.

“People here have said it is unwelcome, it’s unwanted, it’s not what the village represents and to express their pure disgust at what’s happened.”

Urgent Appeal