Police investigating ‘hate crime’ after a gang attacked a group of Romanian men in the Holylands
They called them ‘fucking Romanian bastards’
Beth CottrellPolice are investigating a hate crime after a vicious assault on a group of Romanian men in the Holylands last night.
The altercation took place at around one o’clock this morning, when two groups of men were seen arguing on the corner between Farnham Street and Ormeau Road.
A bottle was smashed after one group shouted racial slurs, calling the others “fucking Romanian bastards”.
The group was only dispersed when the PSNI arrived on the scene and arrested a 16-year-old who was involved.
One of the groups, described as white males in their early twenties were seen chasing the other group, described as Romanian males in their thirties down the street.
English third year and Farnham resident Laura Owens witnessed the incident from her house.
She said: “We looked out when there was a load of shouting and I could hear someone shouting, ‘fucking get them, fucking Romanian bastards’ as two groups ran past.
“This is the first time in the year we’ve lived here shit has happened, but it looked pretty bad.”
PSNI jeeps in the Holylands last year – not for the same incident
The two groups disbanded as the PSNI and an armoured police vehicle arrived on the scene.
A spokesperson for the PSNI said: “There was some sort of street disturbance involving two different groups of people. It kicked in off Balfour Avenue at around quarter to one in the morning. One 16-year-old was arrested by police on suspicion of GBH.
“There were three men who made themselves known to police with assault type injuries. One had a cut to the head. The police are looking into it and it is being treated as a hate crime.
“The 16 year old is still in police custody.”
Yesterday the PSNI were called to St Luke’s Church in west Belfast where two pigs heads were left outside bearing anti-Islam slogans.
Police are also treating the incident at the derelict Church of Ireland church as a hate crime.
Did you witness these incidents? Let us know at belfasteditor@thetab.com
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