Latest news with #StrabaneEthnicCommunityAssociation
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Nigerian woman buoyed by kindness of neighbours after racist attack
A Nigerian woman targeted in racist graffiti attack has decided not to leave her home after being "showered" in "love and care" by the local community. The words "immigrants out" were spray-painted on the gable wall of Uche Ukeje's home in Strabane, County Tyrone, last week. Ms Ukeje and her two daughters, aged 24 and 14, were left terrified by what police are describing as a racially-motivated hate crime. "The community have been wonderful," she told BBC News NI. Ms Ukeje said it was the first time she or her family had experienced any type of racism since they moved to Strabane two years ago. Security cameras have since been installed at the property. Ms Ukeje said her family remain "deeply unsettled" and had considered relocating away from Strabane but the overwhelming support from neighbours and wider community has persuaded her to change her mind. "A lot of people have been calling around, to see how I am feeling, and they care so much," she said, adding that Strabane is a "quiet, and peace-loving place". She told BBC News NI that the police have been doing extra patrols on her street to check on her. "The people of Strabane have showered me in love and care, it has been overwhelming," she added. Kamini Rao, from Strabane Ethnic Community Association, said people's shock turned to anger in the days following the incident. "The response from the community has been so overwhelming," she said. "Everybody has been 100% behind Uche and the girls, supporting them, because nobody wanted to see them leaving Strabane." She said she was glad that Ms Ukeje and her daughters have changed their minds and will remain in the place they now call home. Ms Rao said the outcome proved that whoever was behind the racist attack had not won. "We're going to be working on the ground to make sure nothing like this ever happens again in the community," she said. "She's loved round here and what happened to her was very intimidating, it was a disgrace what happened to her. "I'm glad her neighbours rallied round to show her that that's not the type of people here in Strabane." More on this story Mother terrified as home targeted in racist attack
BBC News
19-07-2025
- BBC News
Strabane: Nigerian woman targeted in racist attack buoyed by kindness of neighbours
A Nigerian woman targeted in racist graffiti attack has decided not to leave her home after being "showered" in "love and care" by the local words "immigrants out" were spray-painted on the gable wall of Uche Ukeje's home in Strabane, County Tyrone, last week. Ms Ukeje and her two daughters, aged 24 and 14, were left terrified by what police are describing as a racially-motivated hate crime."The community have been wonderful," she told BBC News NI. Ms Ukeje said it was the first time she or her family had experienced any type of racism since they moved to Strabane two years ago. Security cameras have since been installed at the Ukeje said her family remain "deeply unsettled" and had considered relocating away from Strabane but the overwhelming support from neighbours and wider community has persuaded her to change her mind."A lot of people have been calling around, to see how I am feeling, and they care so much," she said, adding that Strabane is a "quiet, and peace-loving place". She told BBC News NI that the police have been doing extra patrols on her street to check on her. "The people of Strabane have showered me in love and care, it has been overwhelming," she added. Kamini Rao, from Strabane Ethnic Community Association, said people's shock turned to anger in the days following the incident. "The response from the community has been so overwhelming," she said."Everybody has been 100% behind Uche and the girls, supporting them, because nobody wanted to see them leaving Strabane."She said she was glad that Ms Ukeje and her daughters have changed their minds and will remain in the place they now call home. Ms Rao said the outcome proved that whoever was behind the racist attack had not won. "We're going to be working on the ground to make sure nothing like this ever happens again in the community," she said."She's loved round here and what happened to her was very intimidating, it was a disgrace what happened to her."I'm glad her neighbours rallied round to show her that that's not the type of people here in Strabane."
BBC News
10-07-2025
- BBC News
Strabane: Police treat graffiti on family home as race hate crime
The police are treating graffiti daubed on a house in County Tyrone as a racially-motivated hate words "immigrants out" were painted on the gable wall of a house in the Ballycolman area of Strabane. Sinn Féin councillor Paul Boggs described the incident as "disgusting" and said it left a mother and her two young daughters in "a state of abject fear and dread".The Strabane Ethnic Community Association described the incident as "really sickening" and said it was "incredibly depressing for anyone to target this lovely family". 'Sickening and also incredibly depressing' Boggs said the incident is not representative of the estate or the wider Strabane area and was carried out by "a very small minority" who have nothing to offer but "fear and hate"."Racism, wherever it raises its ugly head, must be opposed, challenged and stamped out," he said."The Ballycolman is and has always been a proud, friendly and welcoming community and this form of racism flies in the face of the spirit of this community."Kamini Rao, from the Strabane Ethnic Community Association told BBC News NI that they had met with the family, who are originally from Nigeria, and were supporting them."They are valued members of our community, contributing to the local economy, working, and also attending school here in Strabane."This incident is not reflective at all of the values of our community here and needs to be called out unequivocally."Ms Rao thanked the local community for rallying around the family and said the "vile message" had since been removed from the gable wall. Police said officers were notified of the graffiti at around 07:45 BST on have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, an immigrant family have reportedly left their home in fear after the slogan "locals only' was painted on the front door of the house in Crumlin, County Antrim. The police are also treating that as a hate Sinn Féin councillor Anne Marie Logue condemned it as "despicable" and "an act of racist cowardice"."As a result, this family has left Crumlin town in fear," she said."This is a hate crime in the worst possible sense."
