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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| '40 flee' after World Cup riots | '40 flee' after World Cup riots |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| More than 40 foreign nationals have left their homes in Belfast following riots involving NI and Polish football fans, it has been claimed. | More than 40 foreign nationals have left their homes in Belfast following riots involving NI and Polish football fans, it has been claimed. |
| The Polish Association Northern Ireland said people "were fearful". | |
| The trouble flared before, during and after a World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park last month. Eleven police officers were injured. | The trouble flared before, during and after a World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park last month. Eleven police officers were injured. |
| However, Ulster Unionist councillor Bob Stoker said he believed the figure of 40 was "without evidence". | However, Ulster Unionist councillor Bob Stoker said he believed the figure of 40 was "without evidence". |
| The Polish Association said a total 46 people have left the Village and Albertbridge Road areas of south and east Belfast. | |
| It said that at least five people had decided to leave Northern Ireland permanently. | |
| What these sorts of claims do is detract from the good work that is being done to build better relations Councillor Bob Stoker | |
| It has been claimed that Hungarians, Lithuanians and Slovakians, as well as Poles, have been targeted following the riots in a number of different parts of Belfast on Saturday 28 March. | It has been claimed that Hungarians, Lithuanians and Slovakians, as well as Poles, have been targeted following the riots in a number of different parts of Belfast on Saturday 28 March. |
| "The people that have left their homes are mostly people with young children," said Maciek Bator of the Polish Association. | |
| "They said they had good relationships with their neighbours and people living in their streets but that they still felt it was best to leave before something might happen. | |
| "A lot of these people lived in private accommodation so wouldn't have dealt with the Housing Executive." | |
| Rival fans threw bricks, bottles and traffic cones on their way to the game | |
| Councillor Stoker said: "While I would obviously condemn attacks on people wherever they're from, I'm greatly concerned about people bandying figures like this about without any solid evidence. | Councillor Stoker said: "While I would obviously condemn attacks on people wherever they're from, I'm greatly concerned about people bandying figures like this about without any solid evidence. |
| "What these sorts of claims do is detract from the good work that is being done to build better relations with people from eastern Europe. | "What these sorts of claims do is detract from the good work that is being done to build better relations with people from eastern Europe. |
| "And this is not only in recent weeks, but over the course of the last 18 months." | "And this is not only in recent weeks, but over the course of the last 18 months." |
| A Housing Executive spokesman said eight people had "presented themselves as homeless" in south Belfast, citing "trouble in the Village as the reason". | A Housing Executive spokesman said eight people had "presented themselves as homeless" in south Belfast, citing "trouble in the Village as the reason". |
| A police spokeswoman said patrols had been stepped up in parts of south and east Belfast in a bid to ease tensions. | A police spokeswoman said patrols had been stepped up in parts of south and east Belfast in a bid to ease tensions. |