UVF SPOKESMAN and PUP leader Billy Hutchinson, has strongly condemned the latest torching of Belfast Multicultural Association's offices, saying people should not jump to any conclusions about possible loyalist involvement.
Friday 8th April, 2022.
UVF racist and sectarian attack on local Indian businesses in East Belfast
Police are appealing for information following a second suspicious fire (racist, sectarian attack) at the Belfast Multi-Cultural Association building on Donegal Pass, in the loyalist area of South Belfast, in the early hours of Friday 8th April.
Police were made aware of a fire at the building at around 1.30am this morning. Officers attended attended along with colleagues from the *orthern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, who extinguished the blaze.
Picture by Matt Mackey/PressEye
It is the second time that the property was targeted on the Donegal Pass. It was extensively damaged in a previous arson attack also suspected had been carried out by the East Belfast UVF last January.
Donegal Pass is in the heartlands of the East Belfast UVF and runs between the Ormeau Road and the Botanic district on the southern edge of the city centre.
UVF mural (marking their territory) on the Donegal Pass, south Belfast.
It is both a mini-Chinatown, with a string of Asian businesses along the road, and a predominantly loyalist district, with the centre itself standing close to a big UVF mural.
The fire at the building took hold sometime around 1.10am today.
The PSNI/RUC launched "a major investigation" and are treating it as a 'hate crime'.
Much of the roof of the building was destroyed in the 2021 attack, which the Asian community in the area raised the cash to have the building repaired at the time. Was nearly fully completed before the second attack. Which police at that time also treated as a 'hate crime'.
No-one was ever charged over that attack.
Racist, Neo-Nazi & Far-right Propaganda of The British Minority in Ireland, 2004. Photo Credits to: AN SIONNACH FIONN
"Just because it's seen as a UVF area doesn't mean they did it" says UVF spokesman and PUP leader, Billy Hutchinson.
Councillor (anti-Protocol & anti-Good-Friday-Agreement) Billy Hutchinson said that the centre is on the edge of Donegall Pass, and there's nothing to say someone could not have come from (suggesting nationalists) another area to attack it.
"As far as the PUP is concerned we do not believe people should be burning any body's place where they're working from - we don't believe in that," he told the News Litter.
"Just because it's perceived to be a UVF area, doesn't mean to say the UVF did it.
"I don't know who did it, but what I'm saying is whoever did, should desist.
That's twice in a year.
"They're not doing any good... what they're doing is bringing grief to the Unionist community and they shouldn't be doing that.
"They should desist from attacking that center. Let the police deal with this. That's what we pay them for".
Asked if there might be any loyalist involvement, the PSNI/RUC said: "the investigation is at a very early stage".
It ended with the hashtag:
"#Islamophobia".
It took six fire engines and about 30 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
The incident was dealt with by 3.40am, and the fire brigade stated definitely that "the cause of the fire was deliberate".
Two men were arrested as part of the investigation into the 2021 fire, but one was freed unconditionally, and the PPS declined to charge the other man. Police said that they had "exhausted all active lines of enquiry" into the blaze.
Follow these links to find out more on this story and on the loyalist UVF: Fascists, Neo-Nazis and Far-right groups and the British Unionist Minority in Ireland
No comments:
Post a Comment