Londonderry: PSNI treating attacks as sectarian hate crimes
It follows a weekend of disorder in Derry
Police are treating a number of attacks in Londonderry over the weekend as sectarian hate crimes.
They include damage to a bus, an assault on youths and criminal damage which the PSNI believes are all linked.
In the Nelson Drive area of Derry on Saturday evening it was reported that at least 10 young people, some of whom are reported to have shouted sectarian comments, chased three young men.
The three men sought refuge in the back garden of a property in Caw Close. It is reported their attackers then jumped over a wall and used garden furniture to launch an assault. The three victims managed to get away.
Meanwhile, late yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, the PSNI responded to a report of an arranged fight in the Waterside area. A large number of individuals, many who were young people, were observed arriving in the Irish Street area. Some were reportedly wearing masks.
According to a PSNI statement it was from around 5pm that bricks, bottles and fireworks were then thrown at youths and officers.
A bus and one vehicle, which were travelling through the area, were damaged with bricks. The bus had windows broken, leaving passengers and the driver badly shaken. A teenage boy was left covered in glass.
That same evening (Sunday) at around 8.40pm, police responded to reports of criminal damage caused to a mural in The Fountain Estate which had paint bombs thrown at it.
At around 10.50pm a police vehicle, which was carrying two Police Dogs, was also damaged by young people in the Irish Street area. It sustained damage to the nearside rear passenger door. The dogs were not injured.
Two men were then arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. One man was also arrested for assault on police. Both remain in custody.
Another vehicle belonging to a member of the public was reported to have been damaged while travelling through The Fountain Estate area at 11.35pm.
It was close to midnight when calm returned to the area.
Police said enquiries are ongoing. The assault on youths, the attack on the bus and the criminal damage caused to a mural are each being treated as sectarian hate crimes.
Chief Inspector Luke Moyne said: “At this stage, as enquiries into each of these incidents are ongoing, we are continuing to work with relevant partners and stakeholders, focusing our patrols where they are needed and taking positive action where we can. We encourage the community to continue to report crimes or incidents that impact on their quality of life on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Anyone who engages in anti-social behaviour needs to consider the consequences of their actions and of the dangers of getting involved in this type of behaviour. Ultimately, they could end up with a criminal record which may impact their future employment and travel prospects.”
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