Tuesday 23 June 2009

Bad Week for Belfast’s tourist image

Belfast Battles the Bigots and the Begrudgers

© Joe ÓNéill 2009

Broken windows at City Church

The majority of the Romanian immigrants to Northern Ireland, who were the victims of racist attacks in Belfast last week, have decided today to call it quits and return to Romania, while the church which gave them sanctuary after the attacks, was itself vandalized in the early hours of this morning.

To date, two teenagers have been charged in connection with the original incidents, two more have been arrested and are being questioned, and one 21 year-old appeared in court today.

On Sunday, a tourist double-decker bus touring West Belfast’s Falls Road, was attacked by youths throwing stones through bus windows terrifying passengers.

In the early hours of this morning, the Café at Belfast Zoo was destroyed by fire. Police and Fire Service have not yet determined if the fire was malicious, but a spokesperson has said that both intruder and fire alarms were activated.

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