Belfast: Racist attacks to force Syrian businessman to move shop

A businessman whose new Belfast grocery store was subjected to four racially-motivated attacks in two weeks has said he will move his business.

Ahmad Alkhamran came to Northern Ireland from Syria seven years ago, fleeing the war, and worked to earn enough money to open his own store.

But his shop on Belfast's Donegall Road was set on fire in an arson attack on Sunday evening.

Residents living in flats above the business had to be led to safety.

Police said Sunday's attack was the fourth incident at the same premises within the past fortnight and they are treating them all as racially-motivated hate crimes.

Ceilings and other interior fittings have been damaged

Sunday's arson attack followed a recent racist graffiti attack on the shop

Speaking to BBC News NI, Mr Alkhamran said he could not understand why his shop had been targeted.

"It's disappointing but we will keep going and hope to open the business somewhere else, but not here," he said.

"I believe love will win, not racists."

He explained that he worked as a taxi driver after he arrived in Northern Ireland and had been saving his wages to start his own grocery business.

"I have worked for four months, the shop was to open next week.

"I have saved for seven years - in just a few minutes it was all gone."

The blaze on the Donegall Road was reported at 21:25 BST on Sunday.

Mr Alkhamran said he and a friend had been working in the shop on Sunday evening to prepare for their opening, and they closed up at about 20:30 BST.

A short time later, he got a call from his landlord telling him the shop had been attacked again.

When he arrived at the scene, the emergency services were already helping residents in the flats above to safety.

"Thankfully [they] were not injured and we are extremely grateful for the quick actions of our officers and response from the fire service," a police statement said.

Mr Alkhamran said his new store was badly damaged by the fire and much of his stock was ruined.

"Everything is damaged," he added.

The shop was stocked in preparation for opening next week

During previous attacks within the past fortnight, a fire was set in front of the shop, damaging the shutters and cracking the shop window,

In the next attack, shutters at the premises were spray-painted with graffiti.

The message read: "Local houses an (sic) shops only."

He told BBC News NI he still intends to open a grocery store, but will now look for a "safer" location.

He said he had been made to feel welcome by most people he met in Northern Ireland, and said he believed it was only a small minority who opposed his new venture.

Sinn Féin Belfast South assembly member Deirdre Hargey said condemned the attacks on Mr Alkhamran's business.

"This is a disgusting attempt to create fear and stir up hate," she said.

"There is no place for this kind of behaviour in our society and is not reflective of the people of south Belfast."

Police investigating the hate crime have appealed to witnesses or anyone who captured dashcam or mobile phone footage of the fire to contact detectives.