Anti-Catholic attacks revive old fears

Catholic residents of new homes in a mixed development in north Belfast have appealed for help in the face of a new campaign of sectarian terror by the unionist paramilitary UDA.

A number of families hit out at the PSNI, accusing the police of not providing adequate patrols in a new housing development in the lower Oldpark area, which was designed to allow Protestant and Catholic families to live side by side.

Politicians have also been slow to condemn the violence in Annalee and Alloa Streets.

A young family has told of their nightmare as one of five homes to have their windows smashed in by a masked loyalist gang last week.

On Wednesday night, May 23, masked men from the UDA’s notorious ‘C Coy’ gathered in Annalee Street and systematically began attacking the homes of five Catholic families with bricks.

Families dived for cover as glass fragments rained down on them in their living rooms. Missiles were also hurled through bedroom windows, where babies and small children were sleeping.

One young mother, with three children aged five, three and two described how “every window in the house was smashed”.

“The sound of the breaking glass woke me up and a neighbour rang to say all the windows had been put in,” she explained. “I heard the gang running away and shouting, ‘We’ll be back on Friday’.”

Initially the young mum intended staying in her home, but left late on Thursday when a mob showed up outside chanting “cheerio, cheerio” and “get to f**k”.

Another couple with three young children, who did not wish to be named, said they were left “petrified”.

One of the children was asleep in their cot next to a window that was smashed.

“It’s so scary. I’ve been living here for six months and I’ve never had any problem with living here and now I feel like I’ve been attacked to go out of my house with my three young kids,” they said.

“It was quick, a couple of minutes.

“By the time I got out of bed and came downstairs they were away.”

The family said that they had not previously had any issues in the area and were in shock.

“It obviously has been a sectarian attack because what else would it be? I keep myself to myself, coming to the house and back again.

“There’s been no threat on my name; no one’s came and told me that I have to get out so what is the reason?”

She added: “It’s already bad that it’s been windows all put through, but what if they come back next time with a weapon or petrol bombs or whatever? What am I supposed to do?”

It as just the latest attack in a campaign of intimidation against Catholics. An incident in the nearby Skegoneill area last month saw a separate attempt to force out two Catholic families from a mixed area by the UDA. There have been similar reports from Antrim, Lisburn, and south and east Belfast.

Some residents are too terrified to speak out after one mother was told she under threat because she spoke to the media.

Families are often told by the PSNI that they should leave for own safety. But others say they are determined to remain living in their new homes.

“Why should we leave?” one young mother asked. “We’ve done nothing wrong here. This is 2025, people should be living together in peace, irrespective of who or what they are. No one should have to suffer what’s happening to us at the moment”.

She added: “All we asked was to have a nice home to raise our young families. We don’t harm anyone, so why should we be attacked? But this is our home and we’re staying here.”

Urgent Appeal