Portadown: Family fear for safety over sustained 'hate' attacks
- Published
Florentina Dimache says her family came to Northern Ireland to work
A Romanian family repeatedly targeted by a group of youths in County Armagh have spoken out about the intimidation.
Stones and pumpkins were thrown at the windows of their home in Portadown in the latest attack on Saturday night.
Florentina Dimache said they came to Northern Ireland to work and for their children but they no longer feel safe.
Police said the family had "done nothing to warrant any type of trouble" and were being targeted "simply because of their nationality".
Ms Dimache, who has two young children, said she just wanted them to be safe.
"It's very hard because we came here just to work and for my daughter," she told BBC News NI.
"She loves to be here but now I find her very sad and she says: 'Mum, can we go back to Romania because I don't feel I want to stay here any more?'"
Pumpkins were thrown at windows of the family's home in the latest incident
She said there were about 20 teenagers outside the family home on Saturday night and they were also banging on the door.
On a previous occasion the door had been damaged by a crowd of people banging on it.
"I slept on the floor because I could not lock the door," she said.
"I need to protect my kids upstairs - if something goes wrong, I am the first one in here until they go upstairs."
The police suggested the Dimaches were not the only family in the area being subjected to such attacks.
"These youths have taken it upon themselves to target residents of the community in an attack on their home," the police continued.
"Some of these youths involved may be on the periphery of the incident but there is a small element of the others intent on making life unbearable for families in Portadown who come here to work and seek a better life.
"No-one has the right to decree where someone should live based on their race or religion - this is hate crime."
Police have appealed to parents and carers, saying it is important that they know where their child is and who they are with.