Ards mosque community 'nervous' after attack

The founder of an Islamic centre in Newtownards has said an attack has left his community nervous, but added they will not leave the town.

A petrol bomb was thrown towards the centre on Greenwell Street on Saturday morning, while graffiti was written on the wall.

It is one of a number of racially-motivated hate crimes being investigated by police across Northern Ireland over the past week.

Abdul Rob said four generations of his family have used the centre.

Abdul Rob says four generations of his family have used the centre

Cars were also set alight in Tavanagh Street and Sandhurst Gardens in Belfast in separate attacks.

It follows a week of sporadic disorder which saw rioters attack police at various sites in Belfast and several members of the public reported they had been assaulted.

Thirty-four people have been arrested.

On Friday night, the rear door of a restaurant on Ormeau Road was also kicked and racial slurs shouted to the workers inside.

Mosque attack 'beneath contempt'

Speaking to BBC News NI on Saturday, Abdul Rob said his community is "not going to leave".

"This is our country, we’re going to stay there, why are we going to go," he said.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon condemned the "heinous attack".

"This attack is on, people, our neighbours, who live, work and school their children here, who work in the NHS, local shops and are a part of our community," he said in a social media post.

"It is unacceptable."

The mosque was daubed with graffiti but a petrol bomb failed to ignite

SDLP MP Claire Hanna said an attack on a place of worship is "beneath and below contempt" and that it would "not be tolerated".

Speaking at the United Against Racism rally in Belfast, she added she hopes those responsible feel "the full force of the law".

Sinn Féin assembly member Deirdre Hargey described the attack on the mosque as "disheartening".

"We need to show that if they carry out these actions then we will go after them," she continued.

A statement from the Islamic Centres of Northern Ireland condemned the "mindless Islamophobic and hate attack" on the Newtownards mosque on Saturday.

"We know that those perpetrators represent only a small minority of individuals with a far right agenda which is detrimental to the prosperity of Northern Ireland," it added.

The statement also thanked the community for the "overwhelming support" members have received and praised those who turned out to anti-racism rallies held in Belfast and Londonderry over recent days.

Several family homes were attacked during the week, including in Kilburn Street

A number of anti-racist rallies have been held following days of sporadic disorder.

One man was seriously injured when attackers stamped on his head during an assault in the Donegall Road/Oban Street area on Monday night.

A number of family homes and businesses were damaged.

These including an estate agency on Woodvale Road which was rammed by a gang in a hijacked car.

People from ethnic minorities who have made Northern Ireland their home have spoken out about their fear of being targeted during the violence.

A trustee of the Belfast Multi-Cultural Association (BMCA) said on Friday that his own family had not left the house for a week.

In anticipation of the possibility of further disorder this weekend, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) cancelled leave and asked officers to work on rest days.

The PSNI is also receiving support from Police Scotland which is to send 120 officers to Belfast to help quell the threat of violence.

This article was amended on 27 August 2024 to include comments made at the time by the member of parliament for Strangford.