PSNI describe intimidation and arson attacks on Protestant family as 'sectarian hate crimes' - TUV and Sinn Fein condemn violence
The PSNI has described a campaign of intimidation and arson attacks against a Protestant family in south Down as sectarian hate crimes.
The family concerned say they consider themselves fortunate to have escaped alive after a petrol bomb attack on their home on Wednesday night.
Both the TUV and Sinn Fein have roundly condemned the violence.
The PSNI told the News Letter that since early April, police have received nine reports of incidents at a property on the Lacken Road, Kilcoo. This has included graffiti, criminal damage, suspicious activity and arson.
"All of the incidents are being treated as hate crimes with a sectarian motivation and an investigation is ongoing," a police spokesman said.
The man who has been targeted is "beside himself in distress" and as a result is currently unable to to carry out his work in construction, his brother told the News Letter.
"The whole thing started on 8 April when our father expressed an interest in buying eight acres of land next to our farm that came on the market," said Brian, which is not his real name.
"After that my brother has had his window smashed, graffiti sprayed on his mobile home, his hay shed set alight and a petrol bomb left on his door step.
His wife's car has also been virtually written off in an attack which saw the front bumper "kicked off".
"One one occasion my brother heard a disturbance in the middle of the night and went out to find a gang of masked men on his land, who quickly fled.
"Then on Wednesday they woke up to find that while they slept in their beds, a petrol bomb with a burning rag had been thrown at their home overnight."
However on this occasion the rag had detached from the bottle and had burnt out separately from the petrol.
"We consider this to have been attempted murder. What is going to happen next? My brother and his wife are beside themselves with stress. It was not even him who was trying to buy the land - it was our father."
Police have visited the house up to 50 times since April in a bid to reassure the family.
"The thing is, the property was sold and taken off the market some time ago. So we have no idea what they hope to achieve by continuing with this."
"We have lovely Catholic neighbours and just want to get on with our lives and live in peace. However, we understand we are the only people who expressed an interest in the land who have been targeted like this."
Brian said they brought the matter to TUV leader Jim Allister to draw attention to their plight.
“There are many aspects of this case which are deeply concerning," Mr Allister said. "In fact, the nature of some of the attacks on the family are such that it is only because of the grace of God that the story here has not resulted in serious injury or worse.
“It seems clear to me that there is a sectarian motivation for what has taken place and speaks to the ongoing danger to Protestant landowners in some parts of Northern Ireland and particularly in South Down.
“Naked hate has driven a campaign which has seen the most serious forms of violence perpetrated against this family. It is imperative that police get a handle on the situation and that those behind the thuggery are brought to book.”
South Down Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard also condemned the attacks.
“These ongoing attacks are outrageous and disgraceful," he said. "There is no place for this in our society. People should be able to live free from fear of attack or intimidation in their own home or anywhere else in society.
