POLICE are treating a blaze at an East Belfast church as racially motivated.
Two masked men wearing dark coloured track suits, arrived at the church premises shortly before 9.30pm on Tuesday evening. An angle-grinder type tool was then used to cut a hole in the shutters of the Universal Church Of The Kingdom of God on Templemore Street before flammable liquid was thrown inside and set alight.
The Fire Service attended and extinguished the fire which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building with further smoke damage caused inside the building. Police say that both males made their escape along Templemore Street.
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemned those behind the latest racist attack in the city.
“It is absolutely sickening that yet another racist attack has occurred in our city," she said. “This attack on a church premises is the latest in a series of disgusting, violent racist acts which are not reflective of the majority in our society who embrace the huge positives of diversity.
“Those who have arrived to make our city home are welcome here. They are an integral part of our community, and are very much appreciated.
“There is no room for racism in our society, and those intent on causing havoc and division must be dealt with by the full force of the law.”
Anyone with any information about the attack or who may have doorbell/CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area which may be able to help with the investigation are asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1852 27/08/24. A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/
