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Church paint attacks 'sectarian' Church paint attacks 'sectarian'
(about 1 hour later)
Three Catholic churches in the Ballymena area have been damaged in sectarian attacks, police have said. Four Catholic churches in the Ballymena area have been damaged in sectarian attacks.
Bottles containing paint were thrown at churches on Crebilly Road and Larne Road. Paint was thrown at churches on Crebilly Road, Larne Road and in Cullybackey.
A church and headstones on the Portglenone Road in Ahoghill were also targeted. Police said the attacks took place early on Thursday morning. A church and headstones on the Portglenone Road in Ahoghill were also targeted. The attacks took place early on Thursday morning.
Ballymena councillor Declan O'Loan said the attack was a "disgraceful episode for the Ballymena area". The Mayor of Ballymena, James Currie, said the attacks were not a "true reflection" of life in the area.
"It does nothing to attract business, to attract tourists and I condemn it on all sides," the Ulster Unionist councillor said.
"I condemn the people who damage Orange halls, I condemn the people who damage Roman Catholic churches.
"They are not helping this country or any citizen of it one iota."
SDLP MLA for North Antrim, Declan O'Loan, said the attack was a "disgraceful episode for the Ballymena area".
"Generally, Ballymena has been much more settled recently but there has been a state of nervousness and tension in the area, particularly about the flags disputes that has now manifested into these attacks," he said."Generally, Ballymena has been much more settled recently but there has been a state of nervousness and tension in the area, particularly about the flags disputes that has now manifested into these attacks," he said.
"It's reminiscent of the type of thing that happened not too many years ago when we used to hear of attacks happening through the night all too often, but we've had nothing like that for a good period of time so it's certainly very worrying and very distressing.""It's reminiscent of the type of thing that happened not too many years ago when we used to hear of attacks happening through the night all too often, but we've had nothing like that for a good period of time so it's certainly very worrying and very distressing."