Elderly couple’s vehicle torched
Loyalist youths blamed for destruction of car after resident challenged paramilitary flags
By Connla Young
29/06/2006
A car owned by an elderly Catholic couple has been torched in an apparent sectarian attack in Co Derry.
Loyalists youths have been blamed for torching the car in the scenic seaside village of Articlave in the early hours of Wednesday.
It is understood the owner of the house asked a number of local youths not to erect loyalist flags outside his home at Fairview Park last weekend.
Coleraine Sinn Féin councillor Billy Leonard says the attack was sectarian.
“This is without doubt a thuggish and sectarian attack. When these people came to put up the flag outside the house for the first time in literally decades, the man told them he didn’t want it. Three days later his vehicle is totally ruined. This graphically displays the heightened tensions of the so-called marching season, the thuggery that goes alongside it and the plight of nationalists and republicans in predominantly unionist/loyalist areas. We are now well into the time when nationalists or republicans go on their holidays or live a siege type life week after week.”
Mr Leonard says there have been rising tensions in Co Derry in recent months.
“Just before hearing about the Articlave incident residents of Garvagh which saw numerous sectarian attacks some weeks ago, contacted me about UVF flags being purposely erected outside the homes of Catholics in the town. So the message there is, not only will your homes be attacked but we will also rub salt into the wound with UVF flags.
“We now have flags bedecking Coleraine, Castlerock, Articlave and Garvagh. So much for the potential of tourism on the north coast and throughout the borough. Do they not see that they are turning sections of their own community?”
The PSNI said they are still investigating a motive for the incident.
