Racial hate crimes in Moygashel 'shameful'

DUP MLA for Fermanagh & South Tyrone Deborah Erskine described race-motivated attacks in her constituency as "disgusting"

A DUP MLA has said hate crimes in Moygashel are "shameful".

Police are currently investigating multiple racially motivated hate crimes and incidents of criminal damage the County Tyrone village.

On Monday, a road sign reading "no illegal immigrants for 1 mile," was erected.

BBC News NI has been made aware of another attack on a home in the village which was occupied by a migrant family in June this year.

In a statement, police said several panes of glass in a front porch and living room window were broken and graffiti was also sprayed on a garage door.

"This is being treated as a racially-motivated hate crime and enquiries remain ongoing," said a police spokesperson.

An anti-immigration sign was promptly removed from the road side in Moygashel, County Tyrone, on Monday

BBC News NI understands that the family whose home was targeted had been living in Northern Ireland for a number of years and were working in Dungannon.

The attack on the property in happened one day after the family had moved in.

After the damage was reported to the police, the family moved out of the property and have since been living in alternative accommodation.

Significant damage was caused to their home.

'Absolutely repugnant'

Speaking to the BBC's Evening Extra programme, DUP MLA for the area, Deborah Erskine, described racist activity in her constituency as "absolutely repugnant", "disgusting" and "shameful".

"Its very sad today that we are talking about Moygashel in such a negative way.

"These people who have come legally to Northern Ireland and are contributing to society, they are contributing to our local economy and they are important for the industry in Tyrone and Dungannon area," she added.

Ms Erskin said she is aware of "tensions in the area" for sometime.

"I want to say regardless – it is wrong," she added.

Ms Erskine is also Chair of the Infrastructure Committee and described the incident of the street sign erected in Moygashel on Monday as "criminal damage" and a "hate incident".