Anna Lo said: “It is deeply worrying that police are treating these attacks as hate crimes. My thoughts are with the two families affected by these incidents. I would like to reassure them that that Northern Ireland is a welcoming society and that incidents like this sicken the whole community.
“The authorities are working hard to crack down on hate crime and these latest incidents show the need for this pro-active approach. Racism has no place in our society and those who perpetrate acts of hatred have no place either.
“Northern Ireland is building a genuinely shared society and those who carry out attacks of this nature strengthen our resolve to defeat prejudice. Anyone who can assist police with their investigations into these incidents should contact them immediately.”
ENDS