PSNI investigating a spate of incidents in Londonderry as linked ‘sectarian hate crimes'
Police have confirmed that a violent assault on two young men in Londonderry is one of a number of incidents being treated as a sectarian hate crime.There are now appeals for calm following a number of incidents in the city over the weekend which the PSNI believe are linked.
Footage that surfaced on the internet, shows two young men as they're punched and kicked with garden furniture.
The victims, who were Catholic, were in the loyalist Nelson Drive area with another friend when they were chased by a gang of at least 10 youths on Saturday evening.
Despite one young man getting away, two others were set upon as they tried to take cover in a garden with a table.The victims escaped serious injury but have been left traumatized and as the video circulated, they say tensions have escalated.
The PSNI said that incident was one of a number being investigated during the weekend, including damage to a bus, criminal damage and disorder.
On Sunday night, gangs of youths gathered on both sides, leaving community leaders trying hard to prevent confrontations from breaking out.Despite this a bus traveling through the area was pelted with missiles while two police cars were also damaged as bricks, stones and fireworks were thrown.In the loyalist Fountain Estate, a mural was paint bombed.
Sinn Fein Councillor Christopher Jackson said: And that's why I'm asking and appealing for calm at this moment in time, because this community doesn't want to see violence."This community doesn't want to see another young person injured on the back of a sectarian attack."So there can be no justification for this attack and there's no justification for the events that we see."DUP councilor says tension has been simmering for weeks. She believes 'tit for tat sectarian incidents' are fueled by social media."I've seen this coming for a long time and unfortunately we are in the situation we're in now where young, young children are being attacked just for being either Catholic or Protestant."
In a statement on Monday, police said: "On Saturday evening, 26 April at around 6.30pm, it was reported three male youths were in the Nelson Drive area when they were chased by a number of other youths - it's reported at least 10 - some of whom are reported to have shouted sectarian comments.
"The three males being chased sought refuge in the back garden of a property in Caw Close.
"It's reported their attackers jumped over a wall and used garden furniture to launch an assault. The three victims managed to get away. "Late yesterday afternoon, Sunday, 27 April, police responded to a report of an arranged fight in the Waterside.
"A large number of individuals, mostly youths - some of whom were masked - were observed arriving into the Irish Street area. From around 5pm, bricks, bottles and fireworks were thrown by and at youths, and at police.
"A bus and one vehicle was damaged with bricks while transiting through the area. Two police vehicles were also damaged. The bus had windows broken, leaving passengers and the driver badly shaken. One passenger, a teenage boy, was covered in glass."Police also received a report on Sunday evening, at around 8.40pm, of criminal damage caused to a mural in The Fountain Estate which had paint bombs thrown at it. Later in the evening, at around 10.50pm a police vehicle which was carrying two Police Dogs was damaged by youths in the Irish Street area who threw objects at it.
"The vehicle sustained damage to the nearside rear passenger door. The Police Dogs were not injured.
"In relation to this, police subsequently arrested two males on suspicion of criminal damage. One of the males was also arrested for assault on police. They both remain in custody at this time. "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. "Enquiries into each of these incidents are ongoing. Specifically, the assault, the attack on the bus and the criminal damage caused to the mural are each being treated as sectarian hate crimes."Police appeal to anyone with information, or who witnessed the incidents or has relevant footage, including dash cam, to get in touch on 101, quoting reference 989 27/04/25.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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