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| Romanians leave NI after attacks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One hundred Romanians who fled their homes after a spate of recent attacks have decided to leave Northern Ireland. | |
| Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said 25 people have already left and a further 75 were going to leave as soon as they could. | |
| Mrs Ritchie said just 14 people had decided to stay in the country. | |
| The minister was speaking after City Church, which last week provided shelter for the ethnic Roma people, was damaged in an overnight attack. | |
| The families have since been moved to temporary accommodation at a secret location. | |
| Pastor Malcolm Morgan said the church was covered in broken glass. | Pastor Malcolm Morgan said the church was covered in broken glass. |
| "I arrived this morning to find windows smashed at the front of our church and our main glass doorway smashed as well," he said. | "I arrived this morning to find windows smashed at the front of our church and our main glass doorway smashed as well," he said. |
| "Stones were lying scattered on the floor inside and outside and obviously broken glass was everywhere. | "Stones were lying scattered on the floor inside and outside and obviously broken glass was everywhere. |
| The church provided shelter for about 20 Romanian familes | |
| "It would be easy to conclude it was carried out by someone who didn't like our response to the Romanians, but that is only guess work. | "It would be easy to conclude it was carried out by someone who didn't like our response to the Romanians, but that is only guess work. |
| "We were just so thrilled that we were able to respond to the Romanian situation and these broken windows wouldn't have stopped us anyway." | "We were just so thrilled that we were able to respond to the Romanian situation and these broken windows wouldn't have stopped us anyway." |
| Mrs Ritchie said she was saddened, but not shocked at the incident. | |
| "The action of these mindless thugs greatly contrasts with the outpouring of warmth and generosity demonstrated by the people of Belfast toward the plight of the Romanians," she said. | "The action of these mindless thugs greatly contrasts with the outpouring of warmth and generosity demonstrated by the people of Belfast toward the plight of the Romanians," she said. |
| "This church community was the first to extend the hand of friendship and that makes it doubly disgraceful that it should be attacked." | "This church community was the first to extend the hand of friendship and that makes it doubly disgraceful that it should be attacked." |
| Police have said they have yet to establish a motive for the attack. | Police have said they have yet to establish a motive for the attack. |
| A 15-year-old boy appeared in court on Monday charged with the intimidation of Romanians living on Belgravia Avenue in south Belfast | A 15-year-old boy appeared in court on Monday charged with the intimidation of Romanians living on Belgravia Avenue in south Belfast |
| He was also accused, along with a 16-year-old boy, of provocative behaviour at an anti-racism rally in the city. | He was also accused, along with a 16-year-old boy, of provocative behaviour at an anti-racism rally in the city. |
| A 21-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the intimidation is due to appear in court later on Tuesday. | A 21-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the intimidation is due to appear in court later on Tuesday. |
| Police do not believe paramilitaries were involved in last week's attacks, which were condemned by all political parties. | Police do not believe paramilitaries were involved in last week's attacks, which were condemned by all political parties. |