‘My daughter can’t sleep due to sectarian attacks’, says Fountain resident after petrol bombs thrown

John Hetherington was speaking to the News Letter after petrol bombs were thrown, in the early hours of this morning, over a security fence separating the loyalist Fountain estate from the overwhelmingly nationalist areas surrounding it.

DUP councillor Graham Warke has called on the PSNI to take action to prevent attacks escalating in the months ahead.

Mr Hetherington said: “Last night, about one o’clock (am) they started throwing petrol bombs into the estate and they landed close to houses and parked cars. They were throwing them over the security fence.”

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks.

“This has been ongoing for years and years and years,” Mr Hetherington said. “Even earlier in the week there were a few things thrown over the fence and on Sunday we had a few young lads in shouting sectarian abuse.

“All the age of them — they looked like they were in their very early teens.

“The people living here don’t want this nonsense. From two years ago, my daughter has been suffering anxiety attacks because of stuff like this happening with petrol bombs and bricks and things being thrown. Two years ago, it was done at all times during the day and that was her first time witnessing things like this happening.

“She would have been seven then. She’s nine now. Any time she hears any knocks or bangs she thinks ‘is this starting up again’. It’s not right. We had to take her to the doctor because she wasn’t sleeping. Any noises or bangs just puts the fear of God into her.

“It’s mostly elderly living on this street, apart from two houses including my own.”

He added: “We don’t want it or need it.”

Graham Warke said: “On the interface, there are a lot families here and this is the last thing they want to see. There’s been calm for a long time and there’s been a lot of good work but my concerns are now about what will happen coming into the rest of the summer, especially into August.

“My concerns are for the residents of the Fountain and I’ve been talking to the PSNI, who have told me measures are going to be put into place.

“I hope measures are put into place and there no more of these sectarian attacks.

“Residents are very concerned about this incident and how the summer will go.”

The PSNI has been approached for comment.

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