Alliance anger at need to explain Irish name

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 29th Jun 2005

Castlereagh Alliance Councillor Michael Long has expressed his anger at the fact that the victims of a petrol bomb incident in the Braniel have had to explain that they are Protestants because of the fact that the female attacked has an Irish name, Roisin.

In condemning the attack, Councillor Long said that no-one should have to explain their name, background or religious denomination because of where they live and branded those behind the attack as narrow minded sectarian bigots.

The incident took place in the Braeside Grove in the early hours of Tuesday and, although the petrol bomb hit the front door of the house and ignited, the couple were uninjured. Speaking afterwards, Roisin Orr, 19, said she believed the house was attacked by people who mistakenly thought she was Catholic because of her Irish name.

Councillor Long said, "I would utterly condemn any violent incident and I am particularly appalled by the apparent sectarian cause of this attack in

which someone seems to be targeted simply because of their name. What sort of community do we live in where a victim of an attack has to explain their name and religious background in order to avoid the attention of local thugs?

"Alliance believes that people should be free to live anywhere regardless of their religion, culture or ethnic background and there should be no need for anyone to have to explain who they are and especially not to a bunch of sectarian, bigoted morons who are only too happy to make assumptions based on the merest detail.

"Those behind the attack are so narrow minded that they cannot accept any potential diversity in their midst and attempt to remove those they perceive as being different through cowardly violent attacks like we have seen last night. I hope that they will be brought to justice and would appeal for anyone with information about last night's attack to contact the Police."

ENDS