Loyalist attacks on Catholics since May
Date: 24th July '02
Name: RM Irish news article
Loyalist attacks on Catholics since May
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The last three months have seen a sustained increase in Loyalist
attacks on Catholics throughout the Six Counties, particularly in
Belfast.
In the last three months there have been at least 363 attacks
against Catholics. That is, on average, four sectarian attacks a
day for the last three months. There have been 144 bomb attacks,
25 shooting incidents, 151 homes damaged, 42 people assaulted and
Gerard Lawlor was shot dead by loyalists as he walked home along
the Antrim Road on Monday night.
The following list of those attacks [not considered to be
comprehensive] was distributed by Sinn Fein, who said:
"Sinn Fein on a number of different levels have been working to
bring an end to sectarian tensions, not least in the interface
areas in Belfast but also in terms of the Fountain in Derry.
"Collectively we must set our face against sectarianism. There
can be no justification for any sectarian attack."
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MAY 2002
May 1, Wednesday
UDA pipe bomb attacks on a pub and on a senior citizen's care
home in Randalstown, Co. Antrim.
May 4, Saturday
A group of 12 loyalists attacked Catholic homes in North Queen
Street with iron bars.
In Hughenden Gardens in the Cavehill area, a busload of loyalists
wearing Rangers FC tops attacked Catholic homes.
Loyalists in Larne attacked a group of Catholics near a pub in
the town.
In Ballymena two men were treated in hospital after being
attacked by loyalists.
Loyalists threw acid into the face of a 25-year-old Catholic man
on Clifton Street in north Belfast. The man was taken to hospital
to be treated for burns.
In east Belfast loyalists attacked houses in Madrid Street in the
Short Strand with bottles and stones.
May 5, Sunday
In the Limestone Road area in north Belfast, loyalists threw a
blast bomb that exploded close to where Catholic children were
playing.
May 6, Monday
In north Belfast, loyalists attacked five Catholic homes in
Newington Street with ball-bearings and bolts.
Loyalists attempted to drag a Catholic man from his car in North
Queen Street.
Houses in Serpentine Gardens, in north Belfast, were attacked.
An 11-year-old girl walking home from the York Gate Centre was
knocked over by a supermarket trolley when an RUC/PSNI landrover
hit it at high speed. She suffered injuries to her legs, face
and head.
In south Belfast, loyalists attacked Catholic homes in the
Markets area.
May 7, Tuesday
Petrol bombs were thrown at Catholic homes in Hesketh Road in
Ardoyne and in Whitewell Road and Serpentine Road.
May 11, Saturday
In the Short Strand in east Belfast loyalists from the Thistle
Court/Madrid Street area attacked Catholic homes in Madrid
Street.
May 12, Sunday
Loyalists pipe bombed Catholic homes in the Madrid Street area
of the Short Strand, east Belfast in the early hours of the
morning. Masked men then emerged and attacked more Catholic
homes.
That evening the PSNI attacked and badly assaulted Short Strand
resident Paud Devenney, who was trying to calm the situation. He
suffered two skull fractures and brain damage as a result of his.
Later that night loyalists attacked pensioners' houses on Strand
Walk with blast bombs. The stoning of Catholic homes in Madrid
Street carried on throughout the day intensifying at around
6.30pm until at 8.00pm there was a concerted and sustained attack
on Catholic houses in Madrid Street, Beechfield Street and Bryson
Street by a group of up to 100 loyalist firing ball bearings,
marbles, golf balls and stones from the roof of Beechfield Street
primary school.
May 13, Monday
In the Short Strand in east Belfast loyalists attacked Catholic
homes in Madrid Street, Edgar Street, Bryson Street and
Beechfield Street with ball bearings, stones, marbles and
fireworks. The attacks carried on from early in the evening until
4.30 am the following day.
May 14, Tuesday
During the evening loyalists gathered in Thistle Court and threw
missiles at Catholic residents in Madrid Street, in the Short
Strand in east Belfast, from behind security force vehicles.
May 15, Wednesday
In the Short Strand in east Belfast loyalists erected flags along
the interface across which they later threw stones, bricks,
fireworks and blast bombs. One of the houses hit by a blast bomb
caught fire.
Loyalist attacked Catholic homes in Abbey Glen, north of Belfast.
Three loyalist pipe bombs were found opposite St. Gerard's Church
(near the junction of Serpentine and Antrim roads) in north
Belfast. The bombs were primed and ready for use.
Loyalists attacked Catholic homes close to the interface with the
Fountain
May 16, Thursday
In east Belfast, Catholic residents of the Short Strand were
attacked in their homes with fireworks, bottles, bricks and
marbles.
May 19, Sunday
In east Belfast, Short Strand residents were again attacked in
their homes with bottles, stones and bricks.
May 20, Monday
In east Belfast Short Strand residents were once more attacked in
their homes with bottles, stones and bricks. Loyalists also threw
a firework at workmen erecting the security fence across the
interface.
May 21, Tuesday
Attacks on Catholic residents of the Short Strand in east Belfast
continued.
May 22, Wednesday
In east Belfast, loyalist youths attacked homes in Madrid Street
and Bryson Street in the Short Strand with bricks and golf balls.
May 23, Thursday
In east Belfast, homes in the Short Strand were attacked by
loyalists with bottles, stones, slates, paintbombs, marbles and
bricks across the new security gate.
May 26, Sunday
Loyalists in Glengormley picketed outside Carnmoney Cemetery as
Catholics held an annual Cemetery Sunday service.
Loyalists threw a blast bomb into the back garden of an elderly
woman living on Newington Avenue in north Belfast. The blast bomb
landed beside an oil tank and exploded.
May 27, Monday
Catholic taxi drivers in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, were warned that
they could be in danger from loyalist blast-bomb attacks.
May 31, Friday
In east Belfast Short Strand residents were attacked in their
homes with slates, stones, and bricks. Loyalists erecting flags
on the Newtownards Road, using a hydraulic lift, stoned children
- two 6-year-olds, a 5-year-old and a 2-year old - in St Matthews
Court.
Loyalists later threw two blast bombs, several petrol bombs,
stones, bricks, bolts, ball bearings and golf balls across the
'security' fencing.
A number of gunshots were fired into Strand Walk.
JUNE 2002
June 3, Monday
A bus driver was injured when loyalists opened fire on the
Newtownards Road. Loyalists again fired shots on the Newtownards
Road at about 11 pm that evening.
June 5, Wednesday
A funeral held at St. Matthew's Church on Seaforde Street in the
Short Strand was attacked by loyalists. Bricks and bottles rained
down on the doors and windows of St. Matthew's as loyalists
jumped into the church grounds trying to force their way into the
funeral."
A loyalist sniper fired into homes in the nationalist Short
Strand from a rooftop on Susan Street (just off the Lower
Newtownards Road.)
June 7, Friday
A number of students at the Belfast Institute's Tower Street
campus in east Belfast were forced to show their identification
to a gang of masked loyalists trying to find out if they were
from the Short Strand and/or Catholic. One student was told that
all Catholics would be shot.
A masked loyalist gunman pointed a gun at a woman from the Short
Strand, outside her place of work at Bryson Community
Enterprises.
East Belfast loyalists blocked a doctor's surgery in a community
centre, preventing access to nationalists from the Short Strand.
June 8, Saturday
Loyalists from east Belfast picketed the Mountpottinger Post
Office for the second time in three weeks preventing Short Strand
residents from picking up their family and/or income support
benefits.
Nationalist homes just outside the Fountain were attacked
For the last three nights loyalists have been blaring
paramilitary songs from Cluan Place into the Short Strand until 4
in the morning.
June 9, Sunday
Loyalists threatened a Catholic woman in Magherafelt, Co. Derry
and told the woman to leave the estate immediately.
June 11, Tuesday
The home of a Catholic family in Crumlin, Co. Antrim was petrol
bombed at about 2.20 am. Three petrol bombs were thrown; one
damaged the family car, another exploded on an outside wall while
the third went through the front room window.
The UDA/UFF fired upon youths playing football in north Belfast.
The shots were fired from the loyalist Tiger's Bay estate.
18 attacks on Catholic homes in Larne.
June 12, Wednesday
Sectarian attacks on Derry's Fountain Estate were condemned as
disgraceful by Sinn Fein Councillor Peter Anderson
June 13, Thursday
Sharon McMullan, a Catholic woman from the Short Strand, was
rushed to the hospital after a pipe bomb exploded outside her
front door. The pipe bomb was packed with barbed nails that --
upon explosion -- hit her in both legs. A second pipe bomb also
exploded outside her front door.
June 14, Friday
Loyalists are continuing in their threats and intimidation of
catholic families in the Craigy Hill estate in the town. Two
years ago there were 100 or so Catholic families there, now there
are just 30. In the past week alone, 3 Catholic families have
applied to the Housing Executive for accelerated purchase of
their homes so that they can leave Larne.
June 15, Saturday
Two men were attacked by loyalists wielding hammers and hatchets
in front of Woodbourne RUC/PSNI station
June 16, Sunday
A young Catholic woman fled her home on Pump Street in Derry
following a loyalist attack
June 17, Monday
Catholic students from St. Malachy's High School in Antrim are
being intimidated and attacked as they leave school.
A home bordering the loyalist Fountain Estate was hit by a pipe
bomb
June 20, Thursday
Pipe bomb thrown at the home of a young Catholic couple in
Ballynahinch, South Down
Derry Sinn Fein representatives condemn sectarian attacks in the
city - particularly those along Fountain Estate/Bishop Street.
June 21, Friday
A number of Catholic homes were damaged by loyalists taking part
in the controversial "Tour of the North" Orange parade in north
Belfast.
June 22, Saturday
Catholic employees at an east Belfast shopping centre were forced
to leave their jobs due to loyalist death threats. Catholic
employees at both Boots and KFC at the Connswater Shopping Centre
have made these allegations which have been confirmed by the
PSNI/RUC. (SBN)
A Catholic taxi driver and his three passengers came under attack
near the Mater Hospital in north Belfast on Saturday afternoon.
Loyalists threw a meat cleaver at his vehicle. (IN)
A Catholic man from the Oldpark area of north Belfast is "lucky
to be alive" following a vicious sectarian beating. The
38-year-old was assaulted at around 2am along Beechnut Place off
the Crumlin Road. He sustained injuries to his legs, head and
abdomen and he remains in critical condition in Belfast's Royal
Victoria Hospital.
June 23, Sunday
Four Catholic teens were attacked by loyalists as they made their
way home from Mass in Carryduff, Co. Down. Two carloads of
loyalists followed the teens along the Saintfield Road in
Carryduff and attacked them.
A north Belfast pensioner out walking his dog was attacked by two
loyalists - one of who wielded a meat cleaver. The 65-year-old
man was hospitalised and received 10 staples to his head. He was
also treated for bruising on his back.
June 24, Monday
Nail bomb thrown through the downstairs window of a house in
South Belfast.
June 25, Tuesday
Loyalists attacked and damaged Catholic homes in Glengormley.
June 27, Thursday
Seven homes in the Cliftondene Park and Deerpark Road area were
attacked by loyalists throwning paint bombs. They also fired
shots.
June 28, Friday
Catholic graves in Carnmoney Cemetery in Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim
were vandalised during the night. More than 20 headstones and
Celtic crosses were smashed and pushed over.
Loyalists fired shots into homes on Alliance Avenue.
June 29, Saturday
Nail bomb thrown at a home in Bingnian Drive in West Belfast.
June 30, Sunday
A Catholic teenager from Larne in Co. Antrim was attacked shortly
after 2 am as he made his way along the Old Glenarm Road. He
sustained a fractured skull and a number of other injuries. He
was taken to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital and later to
Antrim Area Hospital.
Over the last week there have been 18 attacks on nationalists in
Larne.
Loyalists attacked homes in Lower Lenadoon.
JULY 2002
July 3, Wednesday
Two nationalist homes in the Leckagh estate, Magherafelt attacked
with petrol bombs.
July 4, Thursday
Catholic family home in North Parade, South Belfast, petrol
bombed by loyalists. Pipe bomb attack on a house in Bryson Court,
Short Strand.
July 6, Saturday
2am - 18-year-old Catholic man beaten unconcious by a loyalist
mob in Kilkeel, Co. Down.
Pipe bomb thrown at a home in Newington Avenue.
July 7, Sunday
Loyalists attacked the home of a young couple on the Springfield
Road in Belfast.
Two carloads of loyalists throw large fireworks into the Yorkgate
shopping complex.
A black-taxi driver had a hammer thrown at his vehicle by
loyalists at the junction of the Crumlin Road and the Ligoniel
Road.
Three men attempt to abduct a woman on the Cliftonville Road.
48 year old man was knocked down in a hit and run in Union
Street.
July 8, Monday
Around 100 loyalists attacked the nationalist Rathenraw Estate in
Antrim.
Five shots were fired through the living room of a Catholic home
in Coleraine.
July 10, Wednesday
A Catholic family forced to flee their home in the Stiles estate,
Antrim Town after a loyalist attack on their home.
July 11, Thursday
11pm - 16 year old Catholic teenager was stabbed in the neck and
back by loyalists as he walked along Glentane Drive in the
Skegoniel area of North Belfast.
1am - loyalists attempt to abduct a Catholic man at Broadway
roundabout, West Belfast.
July 12, Friday
Cameraman beaten by a group of loyalists on the Limestone Road.
Loyalists attack residents, cars and homes in Carrick Hill.
Bottles and stones thrown at Lancaster Street.
July 13, Saturday
Two Catholic churches attacked in Portglenone and Harryville, Co.
Antrim. Controled explosion carried out on a device outside a
Catholic owned business in Ahoghill, Co. Antrim.
July 15, Monday
Golf balls and stones hurled at homes on Alliance Avenue.
Bolts thrown at houses on Ardoyne Road.
July 16, Tuesday
Man attacked and beaten outside Henry Joy's bar by a gang of
loyalists. The victim received 45 staples to head injuries and
was also treated for a serious knife wound.
July 17, Wednesday
Sustained petrol bomb and paint bomb attacks on houses in
Alliance Avenue.
50 loyalists attack homes in Ligoniel with petrol bombs and
stones and shots were also fired. One home was gutted by fire and
nine other homes were damaged.
July 18, Thursday
4:30pm - Stones and slates thrown over the peaceline at
nationalist homes from the loyalist Glenbryn area. Four people
were brought to hospital with head injuries.
5pm - A Catholic man and woman were injured when missiles were
hurled in Alliance Avenue from loyalist Glenbryn.
10:30pm - More than a dozen petrol bombs thrown at nationalist
homes in North Belfast. Three homes in the Deerpark area of North
Belfast were attacked by Loyalists. (Windows broken).
10:45pm - North Antrim Sinn Fein councillor Philip McGuigan
received a bomb in the post from Loyalists which was picked up by
his three-year-old son.
11pm - Nationalist homes in Alliance Avenue targetted by
loyalists throwing petrol bombs from the loyalist Glenbryn area.
11pm - Nationalist houses in Ligoniel attacked by around 60
loyalists with machetes and sticks - Loyalists broke into houses
and set them on fire with petrol bombs (10 houses damaged). Shots
were also fired by loyalists during the attack. Paramedics were
also injured during the attack.
11pm - Upper Crumlin Road - A Catholic mother and her three
children were trapped in their burning car which was set alight
by a loyalist mob of about 60 men.
1am - Catholic man was attacked and beaten by a four strong
loyalist gang armed with bats and a knife. He was dragged into a
a deserted cul-de-sac in the loyalist end of the Oldpark Road
after he left a pub close to the interface area.
2am - Catholic father of three had to undergo emergency surgery
after becoming a victim of a sectarian knife attack as he walked
with a friend in Rosapenna Street, North Belfast.
July 19, Friday
5am - Loyalists petrol bomb a parochial house in Newcastle,
County Down.
July 20, Saturday
2am - A gang of loyalists wrecked cars and houses with bricks and
petrol bombs in Skegoneil Avenue, North Belfast.
5am - Loyalist gang returned to Skegoniel Avenue to carry out
further attacks. Nine cars damaged, two completely burnt out in
Skegoniel Avenue and one in nearby Glandore Avenue. Catholic
homes were attacked in Rosapenna Street in the Oldpark area of
North Belfast. Bricks, paint bombs and bottles thrown at
nationalist homes in Alliance Avenue.
July 21, Sunday
10am - Magherafelt - An explosive device left in the garden of a
nationalist home.
10pm Loyalists fired shots at two men on Salisbury Avenue
10.45pm Two loyalists on a motorcycle tried to kill a man on the
Oldpark Road but their gun jammed
11.20pm Shots were fired at people in Ligoniel
11.30pm A 29 year old man was shot in Rosapenna Court
Midnight Gerard Lawlor was shot dead by loyalists as he walked
home along the Antrim Road.
c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit.
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