Galliagh: Woman, 78, flees home after further unrest

Elderly woman flees home after latest Galliagh violence

A 78-year-old woman had to flee her home in Galliagh after her garden fence was set on fire during a night of disorder in Londonderry.

The incident follows a second night of sporadic violence in the area.

The pensioner, who does not want to be named, said she was awoken in her bed by loud bangs at her front door.

She said two good Samaritans alerted her to the fire and filled buckets of water to try and extinguish the blaze before it could spread any further.

The shaken pensioner said all she could see was the flames when she looked out her window.

It followed violence in the area on Monday and Tuesday after materials were removed from a bonfire site.

Terrified, and not wanting to stay in the house by herself, the woman was picked up by family members and spent the night with them.

She said those responsible for the fire needed to "catch themselves on" and questioned how they could sleep in their beds at night, knowing what they have done.

The woman's fence was damaged by fire at Glendale Park

The woman's daughter accused the people behind the violence of targeting their own community and said she also felt let down by the emergency services.

"Somebody out there knows who targeted my mother's home, a 78-year-old woman who never harmed a being in her life," she said.

"Why? I want answers.

"This is not on. They are doing rioting in Galliagh Park. Why? Don't target your own crowd. You're targeting your own people here."

The woman raised the prospect of her mother "lying dead this morning" for the sake of a bonfire.

Asked about the response of the emergency services to the incident, she said she felt let down.

'Officers were unable to attend'

In a statement, the police confirmed that they received a report in relation to a fence on fire at a house in Galliagh and that "officers were unable to attend at that time".

A police spokesperson said the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) was also tasked to attend and that it later emerged a neighbour had managed to extinguish the fire.

The spokesperson added that they have since made direct contact with the pensioner.

BBC News NI has contacted the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) for comment.

Contractors removed the material from the site of the bonfire on Monday morning

Meanwhile, police are investigating reports of shots being fired during the trouble on Tuesday.

In a statement to BBC News NI on Wednesday evening, they said that there is "currently no evidence to suggest these incidents are being orchestrated by elements with links to paramilitaries".

Cars and a bus were attacked and a man whose vehicle was hijacked and set on fire was assaulted.

Ch Supt Nigel Goddard said Tuesday's violence was "serious and sinister".

He said the trouble caused "fear and distress in the community, and trauma to the people directly impacted".

The senior officer has defended the police response and said the PSNI was satisfied it is "proportionate and has the support of the vast majority of the Galliagh community".

On Wednesday, Translink confirmed that some bus services to the area would be disrupted.

Appeal for calm

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said he was extremely concerned by the disturbances.

"What's happening now is other people are coming in and escalating this scenario. What we need to see now is calm," he said.

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney has appealed for calm.

There are people, Mr Tierney added, "being brought in to manipulate a situation which is going on in Galliagh".

Police said they received reports of cars being attacked by stone throwers in the Moss Park area, and also of criminal damage being caused to a bus.

Bins, tyres and pallets were dragged onto roads in Galliagh and set on fire on Monday evening, police said.

On Monday, a teenage girl was left with a "hole in her face" after debris from a burning car struck her during disorder in Galliagh.

The mother of the 19-year-old said her daughter was walking near the vehicle on her way to a friend's house when she was injured.

It had been set on fire after being hijacked in the area.

Two cars were set on fire after being hijacked in the area

The driver had been assaulted and dragged from his vehicle at about 22:30 on Monday.

There had been a number of incidents in Galliagh where police said buses and a delivery driver's van came under attack and attempts were made to burn a van.

Bins, tyres and pallets were dragged on to roads and set on fire throughout the evening.

For several months, young people in the area have been collecting material for a bonfire on 15 August - a date when bonfires are traditionally lit in some nationalist areas.

On Monday, Stormont's Department for Communities (DfC) said it had cleared the site due to "public safety concerns".

The material was being gathered close to homes on a large green space owned by the department.