Two masked men tried to burn down a church last night in what’s been treated as a racially motivated hate crime.
Using an angle-grinder, the pair cut a hole into the steel shutters of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Belfast around 9.30pm on Tuesday.
They then poured flammable liquid inside and set it alight, leaving fire fighters to extinguish the flames before they could engulf the building.
Damage was limited to the shutters and front hall of the Templemore Street property, which has been operating as a church since 2018.
It runs a weekly foodbank helping 40 families, and holds daily services for a congregation of 70, roughly half of whom come from countries around the world.
Police are appealing for dashcam and doorbell footage, or any information leading to the two men who ran away down Templemore Street, in east Belfast.
Alliance MLA for East Belfast, Peter McReynolds, said: ‘This attack is truly appalling and must be robustly condemned by all political parties.
‘There is no place in our community for such hatred and discrimination. The repeated hate and race-fuelled attacks we have witnessed across Northern Ireland recently are extremely concerning and deeply unsettling for communities.’
Local MP and DUP leader Gavin Robinson condemned the attack after visiting the church where he met the pastor and his wife this morning.
‘This should not have happened. It should not be happening in Northern Ireland, and yet it has over the last number of weeks, I find it deeply dispiriting’, he said.
‘I know last night that it was members of the community that phoned the police straight away when they saw things that were of suspicion, and I think that speaks to the sense of stronger community spirit than any of those who would seek to attack anyone within our society, whether it’s because of their colour, whether it’s because of their race, whether it’s because of their faith.’
Belfast has seen a surge in racist violence recently, exacerbated by the riots that spread across the UK in the first weeks of this month.
Several businesses owned by Muslims, as well as a mosque, were targeted by arsonists during the violence.
Last year, a Muslim-run community centre was forced to close and sell its premises after a series of arson attacks.
This latest attack on a congregation, one of 45 in the UK belonging to a church founded in Brazil in 1977, has drawn condemnation from religious leaders.
Among those is the East Belfast Churches Network, whose chair Rev Sammy Robinson said: ‘Let us be clear – racism has no place in our community.
‘We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in East Belfast.
‘The action of a few will not be allowed to tarnish the good name of ordinary, everyday people of east Belfast who would stand with us in condemning this attack.
‘We would implore anyone with any information to co-operate with the police in their investigation, and we send our unwavering support, prayers and love to those involved in UCKG HelpCentre Belfast.’
Rev Mervyn Gibson, of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church, said: ‘I condemn it unreservedly.
‘If those misguided people who did this did it in the name of racism or against immigration, it should be condemned.
‘The people of East Belfast do not want to see racist attacks against their neighbours.’
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