Alliance Leader Naomi Long has condemned those behind an arson attack on St Vincent’s school in Willowfield Drive in the south east of the city. Police are treating the attack as a sectarian hate crime and are appealing for information in relation to 15 masked youths who are believed to be linked to the incident.
Mrs Long said: “This is a completely unacceptable attack on St Vincent’s School, which appears to have been targeted for sectarian reasons. Children have the right to feel safe in their place of education and those seeking to create fear in the school community should be completely ashamed of their behaviour.
“Over the past few days we have seen escalating tensions right across the community, and the peace we all enjoy has been under attack from those who have nothing but reckless disregard for the community they live in. They do not represent the majority of people in the Willowfield area and I would appeal to people who can assist the police with their inquiries to do so.
“The community need to stand united against this intimidation and vandalism and cooperate fully with the Police to bring it to an end before further damage is caused or someone is seriously injured.”