Polish ambassador calls for action over hate crime

The Polish ambassador has called for action to be taken on hate crime in Northern Ireland, following an upsurge in attacks.

Witold Sobkow was speaking during a two-day visit to Northern Ireland, during which he will meet the first and deputy first ministers.

Nearly 150 crimes were recorded against the Polish community in a 12-month period up to March 2015.

That is an increase of 39 on the previous year.

In April, three attacks were recorded in one weekend in an area of north Belfast.

Mr Sobkow said between 20,000 and 30,000 Poles had settled in Northern Ireland.

He called for a more co-ordinated response to the attacks and more integration for the Polish community.

'Wrong image'

"In general they feel at home, they find Northern Ireland an hospitable place. From time to time we have the attacks on the representatives of the communities," he said.

"This is bad for the community, but it is also bad for Northern Ireland because it creates the wrong image of the community that is, in general, hospitable.

"But I'm very grateful for the acts of solidarity of people who live here, for all the efforts of the city council and the executive, of the police.

"We hope the perpetrators of those attacks will be detained."